For Want of A Nail: A Land of Fire
by ScottishMongol
Summary: Sequel to For Want of A Nail: A Game of Thrones. Littlefinger is dead while Stannis is king and Ned and Tyrion are working with him.
1. Davos I

**Davos**

"It is a blessing from the Red God!" Melisandre would say in the streets, "R'hllor sent this comet on the day of Stannis' coronation as a sign that his rule is just!"

Many of the smallfolk believed her. They flocked to the nightfires burning in the Dragonpit, growing every day. Some counts put nearly a third of the city as followers of Melisandre's god.

She was more than just the religious leader of the city. Stannis had appointed her the new Master of Whispers. When word had been sent to tell Varys that he was being replaced, his room was empty. He had not been seen since.

The High Septon had protested this religious leader being allowed to join the Small Council, and Eddard and the Imp convinced Stannis to allow the High Septon to name a new position on the Small Council - the Representative of the Faith.

Davos had pushed for that as well. He thanked the Seven that Stannis had appointed him Master of Ships, even if he did not feel suited for the appointment. It had made many higher lords bitter, but Stannis was adamant that Davos was most suited for the job, and most loyal to him.

Dvaos found himself allied with Eddard and the Imp on most matters, against the Red Woman sometimes but more often restraining Stannis. They convinced him not to make moves against the Lannisters across the sea until more time had passed.

War against Tywin, however, was inevitable, and so the Seven Kingdoms readied themselves for war. As the realms called their banners, Stannis' fleet, under Davos made ready to sail. They were to sail south around Dorne and meet up with the Redwyne fleet to assault the coast of the Westerlands, while the armies of the Reach and the Stormlands marched north and the Riverlands, the Eyrie, and the North marched south.

Melisandre saw victory in her fires.

"I see Lannisport aflame, and a host of ships sailing through the Redwyne straights, victorious," she said at one meeting of the Small Council, "And I see you, Lord Stark, surrounded by knives. Your enemies follow you like shadows."

Eddard had no response to that.

Word from the Westerlands was scarce. After calling his banners and closing all the passes into his lands, he had remained silent. No raiders, no scouts, nothing had passed the hills since Cersei fled across the Narrow Sea.


	2. Bran I

**Bran**

There were many new faces at the Harvest Feast, and old ones as well. Robb sat in father's place, with Bran and Rickon and mother and his sisters. Vayon poole and his daughter Jeyne were back, so were all of his father's men, with Jory Cassel being the last to return, only yesterday.

Fat Wyman Manderly and gaunt Lord Bolton and the lords of Cerwyn and Dustin and Tallhart, the Umbers loud and gruff, the Karstarks and Glovers as well. Theon was smiling as always, and the Princess Shireen sat at the high table as well, while her fool Patchface danced and japed below. Osha helped bring out he suckling pig for the high lords.

Bran had been more than happy to see his sisters, for the first time after his fall. Arya was learning to fight with swords, which made Bran slightly jealous (her dancing teacher was sitting between Jory Cassel and Mylis Manderly). Sansa seemed sad most of the time, Bran had asked her why once and she had snapped at him. Shireen was nice, she was a few years older than him and sometimes the way people treated Shireen reminded him of the way they talked to him sometimes.

Patchface scared him, though. Some of the things he said reminded Bran of his dreams.

For example, Bran had a dream that a giant made of stone was killed by a man with a dog's head and a man with a flaming sword, while a lion and a wolf fought over the body of a stag.

The next day a raven arrived from Winterfell, and the story of Lord Beric's flaming sword and his father and Barristan Selmy, the last Kingsguard killing the Kingslayer together was known by everyone in the castle.

The strangest part was that the day before Bran had caught Patchface singing. He had only caught a few parts:

"A brave fool who saved the city from the fire,  
Fought the lord with ice in his eyes,  
A stone dog fought his brother  
But the lighting scorched the first one's hide..."

Bran was watching the three Umber brothers have their drinking contest when the doors opened.

Two people walked in, short of stature, both wearing green clothes. Bran realized they were children, but he couldn't tell how old they were. One was a boy with dark green eyes, the other was a girl with a three-pronged spear.

A guard announced their names as they entered.

"Jojen and Meera Reed of Greywater Watch!"


	3. Ned I

**Ned**

Stannis was a busier king than Robert had ever been. It seemed he passed a new law every other day, and Ned was surprised by how hard Stannis was on lawbreakers, both high and lowborn. He had heard people talk about Stannis' views on justice, but it was another thing to see him in action.

Stannis was lenient for no one. Even the followers of the Red God received no mercy. Even the smallfolk did not love him: he had introduced this alien faith into their realm, that he himself was a member of.

"They do not love me, Lord Stark," he would say, "Even when I give them clean water, they murmur to each other with suspicion, whereas my brother could give them piss and they would praise the taste!"

Stannis had imposed a tax on the few brothels that had not been shut down. Ned wondered if the fact that none of the coins were going into Littlefinger's pocket was any consolation. He greatly slimmed down the number of people employed by the crown, except for the scribes. There were always scribes writing. Stannis had begun writing a code of laws.

One day the petitioner was not some merchant of minor lord. It was Mace Tyrell. His daughter Margaery had wed Renly, and now the man wanted his oldest son to marry Sansa.

"Willas is a good man. He was crippled as a boy, but he still rides and breeds horses and dogs and falcons. The best in the Reach, if not the Seven Kingdoms. He loves to read books, and is very intelligent. Not at all like Joffrey."

Ned had brooded on that. Catelyn's last letter said that Sansa had taken the news poorly. She had grown withdrawn and bitter, and even seeing her brothers again had not made her more cheery. He had heard good things about the oldest Tyrell son, but it would be better to meet him in person.

Unfortunately he would not get a chance to visit the Reach any time soon. The next petitioner practically shoved his way to the space before the Iron Throne.

He was dressed in the blacks of the Night's Watch, and held a jar covered by a black cloth.

"Greetings, your grace, my lord Hand. I am Alliser Thorne, master at arms of Castle Black."

He may have just been here to petition for more men. But Yoren was still in the city. So what was his purpose?

"My lords, the tale I am about to tell you may seem unbelievable, but I swear it is true."

He held aloft the jar, pulling away the cloth. Within it was a hand, black as the clothes Thorn wore and was still twitching. It had begun to rot.

"This hand was not always rotted. It was torn from a dead man's arm. A man who rose again to attack Jeor Mormont.

The hall filled with murmurs. Melisandre stepped forward, her eyes on the hand.

"My lords, the cold winds are rising. Wights, my lord. They killed Jaremy Rykker and several others, and would have killed Jeor Mormont if your bastard hadn't intervened, Lord Stark."

"Is this true?" asked Stannis.

"See for yourself, my lord," he said, passing the jar to the king.

"It still moves...by the Red God."

"My lord, the watch needs men. More, it needs the king and his army. The army of the North. The dead walk again, the White Walkers haunt the forests beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder gathers an army in the Frostfangs..."

"Mance Rayder?" asked Ned, "What of him?"

"All that is known is that he is rallying wildlings to him in the Frostfangs. Lord Commander Mormont has led a Great Ranging of four hundred men to seek him out. Lord Stark's bastard is with him."

"The White Walkers?" asked Tyrion, "Are you sure?"

Alliser Thorne ground his teeth.

"I saw a dead man walk with my own eyes. What other force could do such a thing?"

Melisandre spoke.

"The dead rising. Such is the work of the Great Other. Your grace, the time has come. Fulfill your destiny. Become Ahor Azai."

The room grew silent. Ned Stark spoke.

"The North puts more trust in the word of the Night's Watch than most. Your grace, allow me to send word to my son. The men at Winterfell must march north, not south."

"Tywin Lannister-"

"Tywin Lannister is alone, your grace. the armies of the Riverlands, the Vale, the Stormlands, and the Reach will be enough to defeat him. I must turn North."

Stannis Baratheon ground his teeth.

"Lord Seaworth. Tell the fleet we will not be sailing to the Arbor. Tell them to set course for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Lord Renly will hold King's Landing in my stead. The Wall must be defended."


	4. Cersei I

**Cersei**

Cersei hadn't let her three children out of her sight since she set foot on Essos. Illyrio Mopatis, a magistrate of the city, had turned over one of his manses in the country to the Lannister fugitives, hinting that it was because of his connection to Varys.

So Cersei set her guards - the former Lannister household guard at the Red Keep - to protect her and her three children. Her enemies had already taken her other half, and she wasn't about to let them take her children, the last she had to remind her of him. Jaime was dead, and the Imp had gone over to join the enemy. Sharing her bed with Lancel did nothing to lift her out of her dark mood.

It was only when the mercenaries started arriving that she grew cheery. Word was sent out by Illyrio that the Lannisters were offering all the gold in Casterly Rock and the lands of half of Westeros for anyone who would put the Lannisters on the throne. The letter she received from her father via Illyrio spoke of his intent to put half the nobility of Westeros to the sword, starting with the Starks and Baratheons, then the Arryns and Tullys, the Tyrells, and fifty other major houses, and his plan to replace them with former sellswords.

Cersei could imagine their heads piled in a heap taller than her, with her traitor brother's at the top. She dreamed about it sometimes.

The mercenaries' camp was vast, each company on its own. Some were orderly, others a haphazard lump of tents and rubbish. The camp followers were beyond count.

Cersei was waiting for the moment when her father sent the letter saying to attack. She wished she could sail to King's Landing right away, watch her army storm the Red Keep and see Stannis and Ned Stark's heads on a platter before her, but she did as Tywin Lannister bid.

It was one day, as she was taking breakfast with her children, that the game changed entirely.

Joffrey was sulking, picking at his food. He could explode into fury at any minute, though. Myrcella and Tommen were quiet, though. She knew they were afraid, but they kept it inside. Sometimes she thought they were afraid of Joffrey, and not the knives of Stannis she knew haunted them.

"Your grace."

Daario Naharis, captain of the Storm Crows, stood at the door. He was one of the few captains Cersei would speak to in person. The rest dealt with Illyrio. He had also come all the way from Slaver's Bay.

"We have had word of the Golden Company."

The Golden Company was the one she had hoped for the most. Their discipline was famed throughout the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities, and they had never broken a contract.

"Are they on their way?"

"No, your grace. They have turned towards Volantis, it seems. They will not come."

Cersei waved the sellsword away angrily. So the Golden Company had refused her. What of it? What could they possibly find in Volantis? Ships, more than likely, but there were ships to be found closer to Westeros.

Cersei had a horrible realization. The soldiers had been spreading rumors of a Queen in the east who had dragons, dragons that hadn't been seen in a hundred years. She had hair of silver and eyes of purple, like the Targaeryens of old. She had dismissed them as rumors, but what if they were true? What if the Golden Company was on its way to swear fealty to another queen that would lead them home to Westeros.

_Until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all you hold dear._

This Mother of Dragons would take everything from her. But what could she do about it? If she turned her army east, she would lose Westeros. If she turned west, the young queen would come after her eventually.

In Westeros, though, she would have the armies of the Westerlands. Let the young queen come.


	5. Danaerys I

**Danaerys**

Yunkai had fallen, just as planned. Once Dany had declared she would give the Yunkish army three days to think over her claim, they marched back into the city. Then the Windblown and the Second Sons turned on the Yunkai garrison and threw open the gates. By dawn the nobles were assembled in the city square, some still in the the clothes they had been wearing when they had been roused from bed, and their children taken from them. Just as in Astapor, she spoke to the defeated Ghiscari noblemen.

"Your children will be treated well. They will be raised as scribes, knights, and noblewomen. They will be given a proper education, but they will do this aside freedmen and commoners. There will be no divisions between your children and those of the former slaves.

You, on the other hand, will be stripped of your land and pyramids. We will find dwellings for you, but your pyramids will be turned into schools and dwellings for my new knights. Your houses and farms in the country will be given to the slaves who once worked them. You may take as many goods as you can carry, but the rest will be sold.

As I did in Astapor, so I am doing in Yunkai, and so I will do in Meereen.

I will put a council to rule over the city, with one of my trusted freedmen to govern under me. This city is part of my domain, the domain of the Mother of Dragons and Breaker of Chains, Danaerys Stormborn Targaeryen, and my word is law!"

With, that, Dany left the former slave owners to contemplate their fates. She regretted taking their children, if only for the grief it would cause the young, but if she left them with their families they would only be raised to hate her.

This was one of the things she had learned after taking Astapor. When Barristan Selmy revealed himself to her, he had mentioned the prudence of staying to rule Slaver's Bay, so that she would learn how to be a proper ruler. It was best to wait anyway, he said. The Usurper was dead, and his brother was a just ruler, but after this King Stannis died his younger brother would take the throne. Renly Baratheon would be a weak king, and by defeating him she could win her kingdom and the love of the smallfolk.

So when she left Astapor under the rule of a council headed by a scholar, a healer, and a priest, she also left one thousand Unsullied and Symon Stripeback to govern and keep the peace. Astapor was hers to rule.

Now Yunkai was as well. She had stayed in Astapor longer than she would have liked, in order to see that her orders were carried out, and during that time the question of what to do with the former slaveowners had been brought up. Some proposed making them slaves in turn, others killing them, others merely taking their children and property from them. She liked the last one the most.

Barristan Selmy had declared his intent to train knights for her, if she was to stay and rule in Slaver's Bay. So that had been the end of that: the children of the noblemen would be taken from them and taught, their homes taken from them and used to teach both former slave and former slaveowner, and their goods taken and sold.

The former slaveowners would still hate her, and already there were reports of killings in Astapor, but Dany hoped that the fact they were no longer rich or in power would prevent too much trouble.

Dany met in the greatest pyramid in Yunkai with her advisers. There was still looting and even fighting in some parts of the city, but after the nobles had been cowed any resistance would die down for a few days, as it had in Astapor.

Brown Ben Plum, captain of the Second Sons, sat to her right. Her dragons had actually showed him some affection, which he claimed was due to his Targaeryen blood.

To her left sat Barristan Selmy, who had revealed himself to her the evening she burned the Great Masters in Astapor.

Next to him was the Tattered Prince, captain of the Windblown. He had come over to her side in exchange for Pentos, which Dany had promised him once she was ready to move on Westeros. He had decided that she was good for it. She had dragons, after all.

Across from her was Jorah Mormont, who Barristan had outed as a spy for Varys the same night he revealed himself. Dany had decided that for the two to redeem themselves for their lies, they would lead the assaults on the pyramids in Yunkai.

Dany was convinced the Barristan was true to her, but she still had half a mind to send Jorah away. Then again, Yunkai did need a governor while she marched on Meereen.

Also with her were Grey Worm, commander of the Unsullied, Strong Belwas, her bloodriders, Admiral Groleo, and Missandrei, her little scribe. Drogon was perched on the back of her chair and Viserion and Rhaegal were out on the balcony, basking in the morning sun.

"The city is yours, your grace. The Unsullied are restoring order and spreading your decrees in the streets. By nightfall all will know of your victory."

"Thank you, Ser Barristan. We will stay and make sure my decrees are fulfilled. In one week, we march for Meereen."

"Astapor were taken by surprise. Yunkai was taken by treachery. Meereen will not be taken unawares. It will be a hard fight," said Brown Ben Plumm.

"Nevertheless, it will be added to my kingdom. Have we had word from Astapor, Missandrei?"

"Yes, your grace. Symon Stripeback requests that you send an additional 1000 Unsullied to keep the peace. The killings are continuing, and they are getting worse by the day. Taking the slaveowner's children has made them desperate."

"What of the children?"

"Symon says they have begun their teachings alongside the freedmen. He will send along the ones picked to be knights based on Ser Barristan's guidelines soon. Also, he says the training of the freedmen is beginning to show success. Soon he may not have need of the Unsullied."

"Good. It is necessary to help these people defend themselves. They cannot rely on my Unsullied forever. Still, we will send another thousand."

"Your grace, with the Unsullied we are keeping here, we will be left with only 5000 to take Meereen!" said the Tattered Prince.

"We will make due. Aggo, Jhogo, Rakharo, see that my orders are carried out in the country. If that is all, I must sleep. I was awake through the night waiting for word of our victory."

She left he advisers and Drogon and found a bedchamber that had not been looted or damaged by the fighting. When she had let Irri and Jhiqui bathe her she stood on the balcony and watched the sun rise over her new city before making her way to bed.

When she awoke, it was almost noon. She sensed someone in the room with her.

"Irri?" she asked.

"No, your grace."

Dany turned to find Quaithe standing over her.

"The glass candles are burning. Soon they will come. The griffin and the mummer's dragon. The lion, the flame, and the lighting. The viper and the kraken. Trust none of them. Remember the Undying. Remember who you are."

With that, Quaithe was gone.


	6. Davos II

**Davos**

King's Landing was busy in preparation for Stannis' departure north. After questioning Alliser Thorne extensively on the state of the Watch, he determined that they needed more than soldiers. He was bringing craftsmen of a dozen different types, maesters, healers, and blacksmiths - one apprentice blacksmith Lord Stark had found was rumored to be one of Robert's bastards.

The men were not intended to be part of the Watch, however, merely attached to the army, which was made up of the houses sworn to Dragonstone - Velaryon, Bar Emmon, Celtigar, and Sunglass. The Lords of the North would make up the bulk of the force defending the Wall and Davos would command the Dragonstone Fleet in connection with the Manderly Fleet in bringing supplies from the south.

Melisandre would be accompanying Stannis to the Wall, where she intended to stay until the White Walkers were done. She left Thoros of Myr behind to watch over the worshipers of the Red God, and to "Guide Lord Beric", though what that meant Davos could not even guess.

Also on the ships would be Alliser Thorne and Yoren and the men he had recruited - many of them were men arrested for their dealings with Littlefinger, Janos Slynt the foremost among them.

Stannis was leaving Renly to hold the city in his stead. Addam Marbrand and Lyle Crakehall were still in the city as hostages, as was Tyrion, though his status was closer to ally than hostage.

The Imp had asked what he was to do while Stannis was away.

"Be careful," Lord Stark had said, "And use your wits."

One the day the fleet set sail, the lords met with Stannis on the _Fury_. Renly had said farewell to his brother on the docks and was waiting to watch them depart.

"Events in the south are getting more heated. Lord Rhoyce is leading the armies of the Vale and the Riverlands on the Golden Tooth. The Tyrells are mustering to march on the Westerlands from the south.

In the North, however, is a greater threat than Tywin. The wildlings have mustered all their strength, and after them come the White Walkers. If the tales are true," said the king.

"They are," said Melisandre, "And they are coming. I looked into the fire and the sparks in the air seemed to circle, to become a ring of torches, and I was looking through the fire down on some high hill in a forest. The cinders had become men in black behind the torches, and there were shapes moving through the snow.

"Winter is coming," said Ned Stark, "We have had ten years of summer, and all the tales say that after a long summer comes and even longer winter. Winter is coming, and with it the White Walkers,"

"Then we must not wait any longer," said the king, "We are going north to fight an evil we cannot reason with, to save the realm."

With that, the men returned to their ships and began to sail from King's Landing. Five of Davos' sons were in that fleet, and the Autumn Storms were not far away. He hoped the fleet would not take any losses on the journey north.


	7. Bran II

**Bran**

"You must go north," said Jojen for probably the hundredth time, "My green dreams-,"

"I know what your green dreams said!" snapped Bran.

Bran and the Reeds were sitting up on the Wall, watching Robb prepare to lead the men out of Winterfell. He had already said goodbye to mother and the other children in the Great Keep, and now he sat his horse at the head of Winterfell's men and those of the Cerwyns, Grey Wind at his side.

"I couldn't go even if I wanted to. I wouldn't get half a day away without being caught, and I'd have to get past the Wall, which will be manned at every castle. Robb said they'd be putting a different house at each Wall, so they could watch over everything."

"Bran, the three-eyed crow said he could teach you to fly."

"I don't want to fly. I want to stay at Winterfell. You can go back to your father and tell him that I won't go north."

Down in the courtyard Grey Wind licked Summer goodbye, then turned to follow Robb out the gates. The mounted men kicked their horses and went after him. Arya watched glumly from further down the wall. She had almost forgotten about losing Nymeria until she had seen Shaggydog and Grey Wind and Summer.

"We were sent to help you. If you want to stay in Winterfell, we will stay here as well."

Jojen looked glum, but nodded. The Reeds turned and walked down the steps into the courtyard.

Bran watched Robb and his men disappear in the distance. Then he called for Hodor to carry him back to the keep.


	8. Theon I

**Theon**

The army crawled north. Theon wasn't sure about grumpkins and snarks, and to be fair he would rather be down south where a more obvious war was brewing, but he was at Robb's side and wildlings at least he knew how to fight.

Robb took dinner with a different commander every time, in order to size up each man. Though there would be no doubt that Lord Stark and Stannis would command, Robb was still in charge on the march to the Wall.

Roose Bolton, Wyman Manderly's sons Wylis and Wendel, Helman Tallhart, the Glover brothers Glabart and Robett, Halys Hornwood, and Medger Cerwyn, Robb spoke with each of them.

Theon didn't think much of most of them, though Galbart seemed a confident commander, and Roose Bolton had a cold cunning and pale eyes that were unsettling.

The Mormonts, Karstarks, Umbers, and mountain clans would meet them at Long Lake, and from there they would make the final march to Castle Black, where it was hoped they could meet up with King Stannis and Lord Stark. From there, it wasn't clear - apparently the Night's Watch had sent out four hundred men on a ranging, and the Lord Commander and Jon Snow were among them. Theon wondered if they would have to after them.

He also wondered what was happening in the south, on the Iron Islands. Would his father join Tywin or Stannis? Joining Tywin would put Theon's life in jeopardy. Perhaps he was staying neutral. Somehow Theon didn't think so. What had happened to his Uncles Aeron and Victarion, and his sister Asha? Theon wondered if he would ever see them again.

Not that it mattered much. He was marching to the end of the world with the Starks to fight barbarians and monsters out of legend. He just hoped they got to the Wall before the Night's Watch and Stannis' men took all the glory.


	9. Tyrion I

**Tyrion**

King's Landing was restless. Ever since Stannis had left Renly and the Tyrells had been making changes. Hundreds of Tyrell soldiers were brought into the city, enough to match the city guard. He rolled back many of Stannis' laws, most notably the brothel tax, and soon there was talk in the Red Keep of shutting down the temple of the Red God that had sprung up in the ruins of the Dragonpit.

What was worse was the way the Tyrells treated him. They shot him looks when they thought he wasn't looking and refused to speak to him. He suspected them of talking behind his back. Tyrion wasn't even invited to Small Council meetings anymore. At least Stannis and Ned had had the courtesy to consider his opinions. Now it seemed he was well and truly a hostage.

Tyrion had Bronn and his men around, but with Tyrell soldiers everywhere he didn't put his time left until he was thrown into the Black Cells.

Anyone inside the Red Keep with eyes and ears and a brain could tell that Renly was preparing to make himself king, to save the Faith and the realm from Stannis and defeat the evil Lannisters, which of course the Tyrells had decided included him, so once that crown was on Renly's head Tyrion's head would be on a spike.

The opportunity to escape came when Thoros of Myr and Beric Dondarrion came to speak with him.

"Thoros. I would have expected you to be down in the city, preaching to your flock."

"I had heard the rumors that Renly was planning to close the temple. I had come to plead that he not do this, if it were true."

"And he refused?"

"I am afraid so. I had hoped with Melisandre gone I could calm the worshipers of R'hollor, but Renly sees us as a threat to the Faith, and the Faith as a threat to reign."

"So you think he will crown himself king?"

"I saw it in the fires yesterday. It grieves me to leave my flock at such a time."

"Leaving? Why is that?" Tyrion looked at Beric Dondarrion. The man seemed more haggard than he had been since the Trial of Seven, which was still being talked about all this time later.

"Melisandre and I have seen the dragon queen. She believes the dragon fires will assure victory against the Others."

"Danaerys is a rumor halfway across the world. And even if she does have dragons, bringing them here would jeopardize Stannis' reign, wouldn't it? Of course, Renly seems liable to do that anyways, but it would be treachery."

"Melisandre had misread the prophecies. I have had a message from the High Priest of R'hollor in Volantis. It is Danaerys, and not Stannis, who we should be aiding. Yet she remains stalwart in her devotion to Stannis."

"Prophecy? What are you talking about? And for goodness' sake, why is Beric here?"

"I have been chose as the champion of R'hollor. I will shield Ahor Azai with my life," he said, though he didn't seem very sure of it. He seemed as if he didn't want this, but it had been thrust upon him. Tyrion had seem the flaming sword at the Trial of Seven, and he wouldn't want to go against the will of whatever had done that.

"As for the prophecy," said Thoros, "It would take too long to explain. Let us just say that Danearys Targaeryen may be the only one that can defeat the Others. I have come not come to tell you about that, though, but to ask for your help. It is know that Renly and the Tyrells have no love of you. In addition to being a Lannister, it is no secret that you were helping Stannis."

"I was helping myself by helping Stannis."

"Be that as it may, Renly does not trust you. Once he is crowned, your days are numbered. It is said you are a man with great knowledge. Knowledge of dragons, say?"

"I have read extensively on the subject, yes."

"Well, if the queen does have dragons, then you would be an invaluable wealth of knowledge to her. Enough to get us in her good graces, so that we could tell her of our need."

"So you want to go halfway across the world and use me to convince some queen who may or may not have dragons to pay attention to you so that you can tell her that she is the only one who can save the world."

"This is no jape, Tyrion. Beric, his squire, and I are leaving as soon as Renly is crowned. If you would rather stay here and take your chances with the Tyrells, then by all means do so."

As Thoros and Beric left, Tyrion reached for a bottle of wine.


	10. Danaerys II

**Danaerys**

173 bodies hung in the plaza of Meereen. Each was a noble, executed in retaliation for the children they had crucified along the road to Meereen. Barristan Selmy was leading the battles in the countryside, where forces loyal to the slaveowners were still burning and raiding.

Her Unsullied had taken the city by sending a few hundred troops through the sewers while the rest of her army assaulted the gates. The city had fallen, but the losses had been more than she had wanted.

When the nobles had been dispossessed and Dany's decrees spread through the city, she took her place in the highest pyramid as Queen of the Bay of Ghis. From there she reflected on what she had won.

Symon Stripeback sat in Astapor and Jorah Mormont in Yunkai. Each had two thousand Unsullied, who were themselves training freedmen troops.

Dany herself had four thousand Unsullied, in addition to her bloodriders and a much larger force of freedmen, even if they were untrained.

Enough ships had been taken at Yunkai, Astapor, and now Meereen that she commanded a respectable navy, commanded by Admiral Groleo.

She also had three dragons, which was more than could be said for any other ruler in the world. They were growing larger, and would perch on her pyramid, often leaving to hunt for prey in the countryside.

It was not long before Barristan and her Dothraki returned from the countryside. They reported that there was much damage to the crops and dwelling there, so Dany sent freedmen with tools and seeds to help with the planting and rebuilding.

After that, she held court to sort out the damage that had been done during the taking of the city. They were all things she had seen before: damage to property, rape, murder, all had happened in Yunkai and Astapor, and it had fallen to Dany to pass sentence.

After that it had taken a few days for the killings to begin. Freedmen and single Unsullied turned up dead overnight. When Dany had ordered suspected former noblemen arrested in all three cities, the killings had stopped, but Dany wondered often if the peace would last.

The only other trouble came from former slaves who had been trained from birth for one specific task. Dany was loath to reopen the brothels, even if it was the only trade hundreds of slaves knew. She had ordered the opening of schools where freedmen could teach other freedmen and commoners new trades, and had turned over several pyramids to glassblowers, weavers, and other craftsmen at Jorah's suggestion. The crown would provide the raw materials and the craftsmen could produce goods that could be sold for a profit. All her advisers agreed it would bring wealth to a region that had only thrived on the slave trade before.

Finally, Barristan announced that he could begin training the new knights now that the Bay of Ghis had been pacified. Jorah would handle their basic training before passing the most promising ones on to Barristan. Though they assured her it would take a few years at best, the freedmen and children of former nobles would be raised to be the new nobility of the Bay of Ghis. Already some of her citizens had started panning for the future: Symon had declared himself the first member of House Stripeback, and many of his and Jorah's lieutenants were doing the same.


	11. Brienne I

**Brienne**

Brienne the Blue of the King Renly's Rainbow Guard stood guard while the king met with his Small Council.

He had acted fast once Stannis had sailed. First he had summoned Mace Tyrell and the other Reach lords, and any of the Stormlords who would swear allegiance to him. They had brought their armies with them, so now most of the Reach's strength was camped around King's Landing. Renly had also named the members of his Kingsguard, which he called the Rainbow Guard. Brienne, the Blue, had distinguished herself in the melee at his coronation tourney.

The other members included Talbart Serry, Parmen Crane, Mark Mullendore, Guyard Morrigen, and Emmon Cuy, with Loras Tyrell as lord commander.

Renly's first act as king after naming the new members of his Small Council had been to close the Temple of R'hollor in the Dragonpit. Indeed, Renly had undone many of Stannis' acts. Some of the smallfolk had spoken out against Renly, calling him an usurper and traitor, but Renly had only spoken of how Stannis had turned to a false god and abandoned the realm to fight rumors on the edge of the world.

He had promised to defeat the Lannisters, the enemies of the realm. He promised h would start with the one working within King's Landing, the one Stannis had allowed to live, but his men had searched the Red Keep and had not found the Imp. Also missing were his guardsmen, the Red Priest, the Lord Beric Dondarrion, and Lord Beric's squire. In fact, they appeared not to be in the city at all.

Renly instead executed Addam Marbrand and Lyle Crakehall, for taking up arms against his brother on the side of the twice-cursed Kingslayer.

There were threats to Renly's reign from without as well. The armies of the Riverlands and the Vale had but a week before his coronation grouped at Riverrrun to make the push towards the Golden Tooth, to besiege it. When word reached them, they turned aside from their march and made their way towards King's Landing.

Not all the Stormlords had declared for Renly either. The Lords of Cape Wrath and the Dornish Marches still pledged their swords for Stannis, and there was fighting between the lords there.

King Renly had called a meeting of the Small Council to address these threats.

"Your grace, ever since you closed the Red God's temple the worshippers there have been fleeing the city," began Mace Tyrell, Hand of the King.

"Let them go. It will please the Faith and we won't need to worry about them rioting."

"Very well. However, they are preaching throughout the Crownlands, and we have received rumor that some Red Priests disembarked from a Myrish ship that had put into Maidenpool."

"Send some men to find out if it is true. If it is, try to apprehend them without killing. I don't want holy men's blood on my hands."

"Very well, your grace."

Renly snapped his fingers and two aides came forwards with a map of the Seven Kingdoms. He waited while they set up markers representing the forces in the field.

He stood up and gestured at the map while he spoke.

"The rebellious Stormlords must be dealt with. Garlan, I'm giving you 20,000 men to deal with them. The fighting is fierce there, and Stannis' lords are using the Rainwood and the hills to evade our forces. Flush them out.

Randyll Tarly will take another 20,000 and march south to make sure the Lannisters don't strike at the Reach while I am occupied elsewhere. I am sending the queen with you. Ensure she reaches Highgarden safely.

I am leaving another 10,000 here with Mace Tyrell to defend the city.

I am taking the rest of the army and marching out to meet Stannis' loyalists. We have the numbers, and once we defeat their lords the Riverlands and the Vale will have to submit. From there we can move to take on the Lannisters."


	12. King Renly's Court

**King Renly's Court**

**King on the Iron Throne**: Renly Baratheon  
**Queen on the Iron Throne**: Margaery Tyrell

**Small Council**  
**Hand of the King**: Mace Tyrell  
**Master of Coin**: Mathis Rowan  
**Master of Laws**: Randyll Tarly  
**Master of Ships**: Paxter Redwyne  
**Grand Maester**: Gormon  
**Commander of the Goldcloaks**: Jacelyn Bywater

**Rainbow Guard**  
Loras Tyrell, Lord Commander  
Brianne of Tarth, the Blue  
Ser Mark Mullendore, the Orange  
Ser Emmon Cuy, the Yellow  
Ser Guyard Morrigen, the Green  
Ser Parmen Crane, the Purple  
Ser Talbert Serry, the Red


	13. Asha I

**Asha**

Asha Greyjoy led her men to join those of Dagmer Celftjaw in storming the gates of Castle Grimston.

Asha Greyjoy swung her axe, the shock of the impact travelling up her arm. She yanked it from the dead man's skull and ducked under the spear of another man at arms.

Her longship has pulled up on the beach next to that of Dagmer Cleftjaw and had joined him in fighting up the path through the burned town and up to the gates. Men at arms were still streaming out of it when the Ironborn fell down on them.

Asha stabbed up with her dirk, and the spearman spun back clutching his throat, blood running down across his breastplate.

Asha leaned against the archway as Cleftjaw led the charge into the courtyard. Out on the ocean Victarion's ships were chasing down the scattered ships of the Shield Islands. Asha caught her breath and followed the others into the courtyard. Several men lay dead from crossbow bolts, but the rest were cutting down the crossbowmen and storming the keep.

A knight in full armor charged a group of Ironborn on foot. An axe bounced off his helmet and he took the bearer's head off with a swing of his greatsword. Another Ironborn fell back with a missing arm, and the last two scattered.

When his back was turned, Asha picked up a spear and drove it at the back of his leg, above the knee. He went down, and Asha jumped on his back, driving him to the ground. He must have been in a hurry to put on his armor, because his helmet wasn't put on correctly. She tore it off and put her dirk to his throat.

"Yield! I yield!" he said, throwing aside his sword.

Two Ironborn raised him to his feet. Asha cleaned her weapons; the fighting had moved on past the castle and to elsewhere on the island.

She put away her dirk and spoke to the captive. He was a broad man, with a short-cropped grey beard.

"What's your name?"

The captive looked furious at being captured by a woman, but he answered anyway.

"Gunthor Grimm, Lord of Greyshield."

"Well, Lord Grimm, you are my prisoner. You'll be treated properly and you won't be harmed."

She spoke to one of the men holding him up. It was Lorren Longeaxe.

"See if a maester survived the sack. Have him bind the lord's wounds and put him in a chamber with his lady wife. And if she's been raped, I'll have the cock of the man that did it."

She strode into the hall of castle Grimston, where Dagmer's men were already collecting loot. She saw gold jewelry, silver plates, three kinds of fine cloth, boxes of spices, and enough steel to arm her whole crew.

Asha smiled at the sight. This was much better than what they would have found in Deepwood Motte or the Stony Shore. She was glad her father had been persuaded to attack the Reach, especially now that they were rebelling against Stannis. If he asked, they were only helping fight his enemies.

The fact that her father had crowned himself king of the Iron Islands was not something Stannis would allow, though. But Stannis was at the Wall and unlikely to arrive any time soon.

Most of the castle's defenders had been caught unawares in the dawn attack, and those who survived were grouped in the corner. Hagen's daughter stood with her sword drawn next to a woman in fine clothing.

"Lady Grimm?'

The woman nodded, her face stoic.

"I trust none of the men harmed her?" she asked Hagen's daughter. She nodded, and Asha motioned to two of her crew.

"Take the lady to her husband. He will most likely be having his wound bound in the maester's tower."

While Dagmer and his men looted the castle and town below, Asha had a meal brought to her in the courtyard. She then waited until just before noon, when an Ironborn came up the path. Beside him was another man, this one bearing the flag of House Greyjoy.

"The Shield Islands are ours!" he announced, "Victarion has defeated what few ships the defenders were able to get out to sea and captured those that were still in port. All four islands are ours. Was the castle able to get any ravens out?"

"We shot them all down. Did we lose any ships? Have we taken many lords captive? Did the other castles get ravens out?"

"We lost more ships than we would like, the mainland will have no word of our coming, and Lords Serry and Hewett are captive. Lord Chester is slain."

Asha thanked him and turned to leave. While the two men raised the flag of her house over the castle she entered the great hall. The men had found the stores of wine and were starting a feast. Many were already drunk. She jumped up onto a table and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We did it! We took the Shield Islands and the Reachmen are none the wiser! Soon we'll be able to raid up the Mander! Maybe we'll hit the Arbor! That'll be the day we swim in wine!"

The men cheered and raised their cups, and Asha took her place in the lord's seat. She smiled again as the meat and bread were brought out.

Who needed pinecones and stones?


	14. Tyrion II

**Tyrion**

Tyrion stood on deck watching the Steptones pass by. He and Bronn had taken Thoros of Myr up on his offer to flee King's Landing. They had taken a fishing boat to Maindepool, where they got on a Myrish vessel that was disembarking several red priests Thoros had sent for. That had been a tricky business, not being seen, but they had pulled it off apparently. Thoros had a word with the other priests before they left.

"Word in Maindepool is that Renly has closed the temple and the followers of R'hollor have fled into the countryside. You will find them in the towns and countrysides."

With that, the great ship had sailed past Dragonstone. The Redwyne fleet was holding up its siege of the island, but no attack had been made yet. Queen Selyse was as tough as her husband, it seemed.

After that it had been open sea. Thoros would often sit on deck near the brazier, watching the coals. Lord Beric would tend to his armor and weapons below deck. Neither had much to say.

The only time Thoros spoke it was to comment on the next stage of their journey.

"We will stop in Volantis. What I see in the fires about the city is troubling, but I do not think it concerns us. Still, we must be careful. Once the High Priests' man comes to us we will leave."

"And then?"

"On to Slaver's Bay. The Bay of Ghis, some are calling it now."

"And we just walk up to the Dragon Queen and ask for an audience?"

"Yes. We must convince her we have come to help, but I think she will believe us. Then...I do not know. She may be needed at the Wall. I do not think it will be easy to make her move against her will, so we may be in her court a while. That will be good - we must wait for the dragons to grow. And to know this Queen more. She is truly formidable, but her actions against the slavers show she has some compassion."

Tyrion nodded. Danaerys Targaeryen, Queen of the Bay of Ghis and Mother of Dragons. Conqueror of the Slaver Cities, Breaker of Chains. But she was still a girl, naive possibly. Unused to ruling. She could have use of a dwarf's cunning.

He wondered if Danaerys had appointed a Hand yet.


	15. Ned II

**Ned**

Ned almost longed for the days of Robert. When Robert got angry, he bellowed and threatened and swung his hammer. When Stannis got angry, he merely clenched his fists, set his jaw, and glared. When he spoke he spat out every word like it was poisonous. And while Robert at least calmed down, Stannis showed no sign of stopping.

"I _must_ return to the south to fight my brother. He is an usurper and a traitor and I will thrown him down along with the traitorous Tyrells. There will be a reckoning," Stannis would say.

"Your grace, the realm needs you here, commanding the forces on the Wall," Ned would respond.

They had only gotten word of Renly's treachery after they had reached Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. The Manderly Fleet had brought word of it, but by then the first of Stannis' men had left for Castle Black.

Still, Stannis insisted they be recalled so that he could return to throw down his brother. Davos and Ned managed to convince him to wait, at least until the threat of wildlings was handled. Though there was no telling how long that would take, Stannis consented, but still he ground his teeth as he rode at the head of the Dragonstone men to Castle Black.

The men of Claw Isle and the House of Bar Emmon had gone ahead, and the men of Driftmark and House Sunglass were following behind.

When they reached Castle Black they found a mere 200 men. Lord Commander Mormont's ranging had not yet returned, though from the ravens they had reached the Fist of the First Men. While the commanders debated whether to send men after them, the Northern Army came up the Kingsroad.

Ned was proud of Robb for taking the command. His son had grown up in the time since he had gone south, and had proved himself to the Umbers and the Boltons as a man to follow. He would make a good Lord of Winterfell in time, and it only seemed fitting that he had a seat in Stannis' war council.

"I say we send men after them," insisted Lord Celtigar, "Five hundred men are out there, against 10,000 wildlings."

"The wildlings are no match for the Night's Watch men, even if they do outnumber them two to one. They have no discipline, and a cavalry charge would break them," replied Bowen Marsh.

"All the more reason to send men after them! Let us send knights to bolster their forces, then the wildling will fall in one fell swoop!" said Lord Velaryon.

"In this snow? Your heavy horse would get bogged down in the drifts. If we send northmen on snow shoes after them, we will be able to move twice as many men in half the time!" declared Lord Karstark.

"We should wait for a raven to come, so we will have word of their next move," replied Lord Sunglass.

"It may be too late by then!" insisted Robb, "My half-brother is out there, and it may be my uncle as well. What if we wait for a raven only to for it to say they are surrounded and may die soon? Jeor Mormont, Qhorin Halfhand, and many of the most experienced men in the Watch are in that ranging, in addition to Jon Snow!"

Ned had thought of Jon often on the march along the Wall. He remembered what he had said to Jon when they had last seen each other, that the next time they met he would tell Jon about his mother. Ned had made a promise long ago, he thought Jon would be safe on the Wall.

_Promise me, Ned_.

Stannis' voice brought Ned out of his thoughts.

"The Stark boy is right. I will not wait to send out men only for them to find corpses, corpses which may only bolster the enemy's forces."

The men at the table grew silent. The White Walkers and their undead servants were known in tale throughout the North, and the lords from there put more stock in those tales than the southerners.

"However, we cannot go blind. We must send a mixed force of men. If we are to be here for any length of time, we must learn to pool our strengths. We will put together a force of two hundred men under the joint command of Lords Umber and Sunglass, and Bowen Marsh will choose ten members of the Night's Watch to go with them."

Robb cleared his throat.

"Your grace, I have been thinking. I have taken council with the lords of the North on the march, and we have thought to place their forces at the abandoned castles along the Wall. We cannot keep 20,000 men here, and the Shadow Fort and Eastwatch could benefit from some additional men."

He produced a scroll and handed it to Stannis.

"I have made some suggestions, perhaps you would like to do the same with your men."

Stannis looked at the scroll. Ned smiled at his son.

"Clever. Your boy has a mind for strategy, Lord Stark. Though I would like to make one change. I will be taking the Nightfort as my own seat to command from until the threat is dealt with. I believe the Tallharts will not mind the company."

He rolled up the paper.

"Meanwhile, we must begin the difficult task of rebuilding those castles and bringing up supplies form the south. Since Renly has cut us off from King's Landing, we will need to rely on the Vale and the North for crops."

"White Harbor is at your command, your grace," said Wylis Manderly. His father's fleet was docked at Eastwatch, and they had brought many craftsmen with them as well, in addition to their army marching with Robb.

"And we can begin moving those craftsmen and builders you hired at King's Landing, your grace. The maesters will be most helpful as well," added blind Maester Aemon.

"As you said. Ned Stark has spoken to me about settling men on the Gift. It may be that some of the soldiers and workers here at the Wall will not want to return south once their work is done. Lord Umber, Lord Velaryon, you leave in one week. Bowen Marsh, see to your men."

Stannis stood.

"The rest of you, see to your men. Robb Stark, speak to my lords about finding castles. Maester Pylos, send a raven to Eastwatch telling the workers to move. I want every castle to be rebuilt and have at least a thousand men each by the time Winter falls on us."


	16. Jon I

**Jon**

After witnessing the carnage at the Fist of the First Men, Mance Rayder called a meeting of his captains to discuss their next move.

"The scouts have come in, and it's not looking good. Our old plan is useless. There's a huge fleet at Eastwatch. Southern flags are flying over Nightfort, Greyguard, and half a dozen others. The southerners have come."

Jon's heart raced. Was his father with them? King Stannis? The raven before the ranging set out had said Stannis was king. Had Alliser Thorne done its job?

Jon realized Mance was looking in his direction.

"How many men can the Northerners field?"

Jon shrugged.

"20,000 if they took the time to gather them all. No telling if its more than just Northmen, though. Could be the King has come, all the way from King's Landing."

Mance nodded and looked at the ground, resigned.

"We're outnumbered then. Even trying to cross the Wall at one castle would bring the other garrisons down on us. Maybe we could try at the Shadow Tower, but those castles have no walls - we'd be defenseless."

Jon knew what he had to do. He had lived with the wildlings, as Qhorin Halfhand had wanted him to. He had seen them laugh and cry and make love like any other person south of the Wall. He'd seen the last of the giants, heard the wildlings songs. They were people like any other.

_Defend the realms of men_.

Were they not men? He wasn't sure what the others would think of him - an oathbreaker, traitor, turncloak. His father, and the king, and his half brother. What would the Old Bear say, if he was alive?

"Mance. We don't have to fight them. My father and half brother may be on that Wall. They will listen to me. I could get you passage through the Wall."

Rattleshirt and the Weeper glared at him. Harma Dogshead spat.

"You think they'd ever let the likes of us through? They hate us. We hate them. Too much bad blood for them to just open their gates," she said.

"It won't be easy. They'll give terms, but your people can settle on the Gift, and they'll want every man and woman able to lift a sword on the Wall. I can make them see, Lord Commander Mormont will listen."

"Listen to a turncloak and a traitor?" said Rattleshirt full of contempt.

"Eddard Stark is of my blood. The Hand of the King. His son, the future lord Stark, I've lived with him all my life. They'll trust me."

_Will they though?_ thought Jon, _The penalty for oathbreaking is death. Will they believe I did it on the Halfhand's orders?_

"Either way, I'm your only hope, unless you want to die throwing yourself against a Wall guarded by twice your number."

Mance looked around the tent. Tormund Giantsbane spoke first.

"I got sons and daughters. I'd rather see 'em take the black and live than die an' rise again. Anything's better than that."

Harma Dogshead spat again.

"Those kneelers will never let us through. Even if they did, we'd end up kneelers ourselves."

The Weeper wiped at his eyes and spoke.

"I'll never kneel. But if this fails, the boy loses his head along with us. He can't run back to the other crows then."

The Rattleshirt nodded.

"We will remain free folk. Or we'll fight to stay free. They can't make us kneel."

Varamyr was silent for a while before speaking.

"Going to kneelers and crows for help. I never would have thought it. But Tormund's right. Better than being one of those things."

Styr spoke.

"We talk. But we do not kneel."

Dalla spoke to her husband.

"Mance, either the child is born is a castle or it is born in the snow. The kneelers have food and shelter, and if Snow can get us good terms, I say take them."

Mance stood and wrapped his cloak about him.

"You have chosen me for your king. I would not have you all follow me into servitude. If we join the southerners, we will do it as their equals. Jon Snow, you will ensure this. Tell this King Stannis that we will be free folk or we will fight. Even if it means our death."

With that, Mance Rayder left the tent. His captains followed, and soon the camp was preparing to move. As the wildlings moved down the Milkwater, word spread among them. Jon ignored the looks they gave him. He couldn't ignore Ygritte, though.

"If the kneelers let us through, what does that mean for you? Will you go back to being a crow? Or will you stay with us?"

Jon had no answer for that.


	17. Brienne II

**Brienne**

The host that left King's Landing was magnificent. The banners of houses Fossoway, Mullendore, Ashford, Meadows, and Crane were the most prominent, but there were a dozen other sigils on the banners and shields of minor lords and hedge knights. Above all flew the rose of Highgarden, which outnumbered any other house in the army. This was the host Renly would use to crush his brother's allies.

Randyll Tarly had taken his men south two days before, mainly the Florents and Oakharts, while the Rowans would stay to hold King's Landing with Mace Tyrell. Garlan was leading Renly's Stormlords south.

Against them was all the strength of the Riverlands and the Vale, 40,000 men, enough to match Renly's host. The two armies, said the commanders, would meet somewhere on the Gold Road. Both sides could use the Blackwater to guard their flank, meaning it would be a contest of who would could force the other away from the riverbank.

Each day the commanders argued about who would lead the charge to force Stannis' men away from the river. In the end, Renly made the choice.

"Jon Fossoway will hold the center. Mark Mullendore will command the right. I will take the left. Parmen Crane, the reserve. The greatest honor, that of the van, will go to the greatest knight. Loras Tyrell."

"Thank you my lord," said the Knight of Flowers, smiling.

"My remaining four kingsguard will stay at my side. Brienne the Blue shall carry my banner."

"It will be an honor, my lord."

Brienne filled with pride. Truly it was an honor! To ride at her king's side in what was sure to be his greatest victory!


	18. Samwell I

**Samwell**

Sam and Grenn trudged through the snow, hoping Craster's Keep was just around the next snowbank. Grenn clutched the dragonglass dagger he had used to slay the Other. He only hoped he could tell the Old Bear about it.

The two were startled by the sudden neigh of a horse. The others must be closer than they thought. They picked up their pace, and turning a stand of trees saw Craster's Keep.

But there were more than Black Brothers there.

At least two hundred men there: southern knights on horses with the sigil of house Sunglass on their shields, northern men on furs grouped around the roaring giant of House Umber, and ten members of the Night's Watch on fresh garrons. Sam had never been more relieved.

While the soldiers handed out food and helped bind wounds, Sam made his way to where the Old Bear was speaking to two men who had the bearing of lords. Sam guessed they were Lords Umber and Sunglass, but what they were doing here he didn't know.

"Bannen and the others are pretty wounded. If we can get them back to Castle Black, they may live. We'll need to leave as soon as possible, today at least."

"What in seven hells happened?"

"You wouldn't believe me. Though, considering Stannis has come after all, it may be you would. We were camped on the Fist when _they_ came. Far too many. We're all that's left."

"The ravens said as much. We expected to find only your corpses, walking around again. Craster here barely grudged us shelter, but we brought our own food."

"And glad we are for it."

The wildling stood on his porch, glaring at the soldiers standing around. Gilly stood by the gates, huge with her child. Sam suddenly remembered what Craster's wives had said last time he had been here.

"Where's Jon Snow?" asked Lord Umber.

"He went on a ranging with Qhorin Halfhand. Could be dead, could be alive. We never found out."

Lord Umber cursed while Lord Sunglass turned to his men.

"If that's it boys, let's get one final meal and see to these poor souls!"

Samwell stood still for a few minutes, watching he soldiers move around. Dolorous Edd and Dywen clapped him on the back when they found him, glad he was alive, but when Grenn told them about the Other they grew quiet and dragged him off to see the Old Bear.

Sam stuttered and stammered, but the Old Bear listened through the whole thing, with Grenn cutting in once in a while. The Old Bear asked pointed questions, but turned out to be too cautious a man to turn down an advantage. He had Sam's remaining dragonglass weapons passed out, and went to speak to the two lords.

Meanwhile, two men with the sigil of house Sunglass sewn on their tunics fed Sam and Grenn and sat them near the fire. Many men had been standing near Jeor Mormont when Sam spoke to him, and some were whispering "Slayer" to each other. A few laughed.

A few hours passed before Mormont and the others decided it was time to move. As they loaded the wounded on to wagons, Craster spit on the ground.

"Good riddance to you. Crows and kneelers. Go back to your wall, aye."

With that, he turned and returned to his cabin.

Sam stopped by the wagons carrying food. Several knights passed by, and one of them spoke to him.

"Sam the Slayer, is it? Kill any grumpkins lately? Harharhar!"

The knights laughed and went to the horse lines.

While Sam looked at the ground, saddened, he felt someone tap on his shoulder. It Gilly, with two of Craster's older wives.

"Slayer."

"My name is Sam."

"Either way. You will be leaving any minute now, so be quick. You need to take Gilly with you. Craster will kill her son. Please."

"I can't. Craster is an ally of the watch."

"I could hide in the wagons. You could pretend you never knew about it," said Gilly.

"The soldiers will see."

"Please," said one of Craster's wives, "Cause a distraction."

Sam nodded to them, and turned to look at the knights who had just passed. They were saddling their horses, and one of them nudged his friend and pointed at Sam.

Sam walked up to the knights.

"Sam the Slayer! How can I help you? Need help slaying something? I'd wager the only thing you've ever slain is a pie! You've probably slain your fair sahre of those-"

Sam hit him.

The knight stumbled pack a pace.

Sam hit him again.

This time he threw his weight into it, and the knight went down with Sam on top of him. Grenn and Dywen were there in a flash, dragging him off the knight, while the knight's friends helped him up. The lords were bellowing for them to get a hold of themselves, while Craster stormed out of his hut.

"You bloody crows get off my land!"

Jeor Mormont hauled Sam off roughly to one of the spare horses.

"None of that, Tarly. You'll be on watch tonight, and the next night if we don't reach Castle Black by then. We need these knights."

Sam sat his horse, nursing the black eye he had somehow gotten, while the men and wagons moved away.

Sam turned to look at Craster's Keep one more time. The two wives who had been with Gilly were standing alone, while Craster stomped off to his cabin. One of them nodded at him.

He turned his horse to follow the others.


	19. Jon II

**Jon**

The two sides met before the Wall. Behind Jon was the wildling host, while before him was his family and friends.

_Former family. The Night's Watch is your family now. You followed the Halfhand's orders. Now finish this._

When Jon pushed aside the Weeper and stepped out in front of the other wildlings a gasp went up from some of the men before the gate.

The two sides were a hundred paces apart, and each one seemed to take an eternity. Jon went alone save for Ghost at his side, holding the white flag. Four men were sitting on horses before the gate: King Stannis, Lord Stark and his son Robb, and Jeor Mormont. Jon could see movement on the top of the Wall, and no doubt there were soldiers waiting inside the gate.

Jon stopped a few paces from the lords and bowed.

"Your grace, I have been sent to treat with you on behalf of the free folk."

Stannis ground his teeth.

"Were you taken captive? Is this why you have joined the wildlings?"

Jon turned to glance at the Free Folk behind him. Mance Rayder was there, and all his captains, and Ygritte. He needed to save them.

"At first, your grace. Qhorin Halfhand and I were the only survivors of the ranging. He...he ordered me to gain the wildlings' trust. To do whatever I had to do. On his orders, you see?"

Jeor Mormont nodded to himself, Ned Stark looked closely at him, and Stannis ground his teeth.

"I had to kill him. To gain the wildlings trust. It worked. I have ridden with them, listened to their stories and songs..." he forced himself to look Jeor Mormont in the eye. "...And broke my vows with one of them."

The Old Bear sighed. Stannis ground his teeth. Robb glanced towards the wildlings. Was he trying to guess which one it was?

Ned Stark spoke first.

"Jon did what he had to do. I do not count him a traitor for following orders, if this is true."

Jeor Mormont nodded.

"Whatever he did, I hold him blameless. The Halfhand was always a man who would do what needed to be done for the mission, even if it meant dying. I don' think Snow is lying."

Stannis clenched his hand.

"I will listen to you. But if you wish to be held blameless for this you will cut your ties with the wildlings. You will be a member of the Night's Watch, and uphold your vows or be branded a traitor."

"We should get on with this parley, your grace."

Stannis nodded. Jon cleared his throat and spoke.

"The wildlings wish to have passage through the Wall. They wish to settle their people on the Gift. In return they will help man the castles on the Wall and defend it, with their lives. They will allow their sons to take the black, if you ask it of them."

"Let wildlings through the Wall? Settle them in the North? It can't be done," said Jeor Mormont.

"The Northmen would be at my throat. If the wildlings don't get there first," said Stannis.

"Your grace, the White Walkers do not discern between the wildlings and the men of the Seven Kingdoms. They are the true enemy here, not the wildlings."

"The wildlings are savages."

"No, your grace. I have been among them. They are men like any other. They sing, they laugh, love, and cry like any other man south of the Wall. They only want to be free from the White Walkers. Each wildlings south of the Wall is another defender against the Others, and each wildling north of it is a wight in the making. There are ten thousand of them here, their entire strength."

"The wildlings are men when you get right down to it. And the Night's Watch has sworn to defend the realms of men. We should consider their terms," Jeor Mormont said.

"Stannis, hear them out. There is bad blood between us and the wildlings, but every Northman knows the true danger is the White Walkers. Otherwise why would we have come?" said Lord Stark.

Stannis pointed at the wildlings. He spoke like he was choking on every word, forcing it out through clenched teeth.

"Three men. And you. Tomorrow."


	20. Ned III

**Ned**

Ned prepared to go and meet the wildlings. All his life he had expected to fight the King-Beyond-the-Wall, as the Starks had done for thousands of years, but never had he thought to be treating with them.

He looked one more time around the courtyard of Castle Black. Soldiers were everywhere, training of running errands or just walking around. Ten thousand were left, including all the lords. They had sent their men on to prepare the castles they had been assigned. Still, there were many new faces at Castle Black.

The Red Woman stared at him from the door of the Shield Hall. At the forge, Robert's bastard, Gendry, was working under the eye of Donal Noye. Theon Greyjoy practiced archery in a corner of the courtyard. He stole a glance at Robb and Ned before returning to his target. In a window of Hardin's Tower, he saw the wildling girl Gilly. She had stowed away in one of the carts that had come back with the last ranging, but by the time she was discovered they could not return her to Craster's, and besides, few wanted to do so. Instead Maesters Aemon and Pylos had helped her give birth, and she was given a room in Hardin's Tower. If all went right, she wouldn't be the only wildling woman at Castle Black.

He turned to speak to Robb as they passed through the tunnel.

"What do you make of all this?"

"That Jon is telling the truth. I wonder if he is right in defending the wildlings, though. He...was like a brother to me, and I want to believe him, but letting wildlings through the Wall...it was hard to get the Northern Lords to even agree to talks. I think they may learn to overcome their hate for each other, if we were to place them in the same castles. Perhaps if I spoke with Jon, to get a better sense of the wildlings chiefs."

Ned smiled as they exited the tunnel. A large tent had been set up, and several knights were standing outside it. A short distance away stood a real, living giant. He could hear Robb swear behind him.

"The tales were true, it would seem," thought Ned.

They passed into the tent.

Stannis and Mormont sat on one side of a large table, while on the other was Mance Rayder in his black and red cloak, Tormund Giantsbane, Jon Snow, and...a woman.

Ned stopped short. Mance Ryder smiled at him.

"My wife's sister, Val."

Ned sat down. It seemed that Stannis was not happy at there being a woman at the table, but then Stannis was rarely happy. Jeor Mormont did not seem to mind, while Robb was curious.

Stannis spoke first.

"Name your terms."

"Gladly. We wish to be allowed to pass through the Wall and settle on the Gift. If needed, we will give up our sons and daughters to become part of the Night's Watch."

"Daughters?" asked Mormont.

"Wildlings women can fight as well as men," said Val.

"Your daughters won't be necessary. We will take one hundred of your first-born sons, though, as well as any volunteers," said Stannis, "And the giants will be needed to help with repairing castles."

"Done."

"The wildlings known as the Weeper and Rattleshirt must also take the black, and you yourself."

Mance frowned at that.

"The free folk will not kneel."

"You have betrayed the realm, and the other two are dangerous creatures. They must be kept under our watch. You must also acknowledge me as king."

"The free folk will not kneel," Mance said again, more firmly.

"You will acknowledge me as king, or you will not enter my realm."

"Your grace," interrupted Jon, "Do not force the wildlings to kneel. They will follow you of your own accord, if you prove your strength. The Wall is more than enough for that."

"Can you ensure this?'

"No, your grace, they may not even follow you as a king, but as a leader of warriors, yes. The wildlings follow strength, so they will follow you."

Stannis looked to the other wildlings. Mance nodded, as did Tormund.

"I will not have this. I will not have it be said that there are those in my realm who do not take me for their king."

Mance Rayder nodder, and whispered in Tormund's ear.

Ned had not noticed the enormous bundle on the ground behind the wildlings, among their cloaks and bags.

Tormund lifted it with a grunt and set it on the table, then pulled back the cloth.

It was a horn, eight feet long. It was so wide at the mouth that one could put their arm inside up to the elbow. It was black in color with gold bands that were graven with runes of the First Men. At first Ned thought the bands were bronze, but when he moved closer he realized that the bands were made of gold, old gold, more brown than yellow.

"The legendary Horn of Winter, said to be able to bring the Wall down."

"You fool," said Mormont, "If you bring down the Wall we'll all be doomed!"

Val spoke.

"Precisely why we found it. We will give this horn to you to destroy provided we are allowed to pass through the Wall without having to kneel. We will keep your other terms."

"Including myself and the other two taking the black," said Mance Rayder, resignedly.

Silence fell on the tent. Ned wondered if the Old Bear or Stannis would go for their swords, but no one made a move. Finally, Stannis ground his teeth, and spoke.

"Deal."

He stormed out of the tent, and grabbed a guard.

"Fetch Melisandre. We need to start a fire. Now."

Ned watched the wildlings leave, the giant following them. Jon stayed. As Jeor Mormont and the knights carried the horn through the tunnel behind Stannis, Robb and Ned were left alone with Jon.

"Jon," said Ned, "That was well done. Making both sides see reason is not easy."

"Thank you, father."

Robb clapped him on the back.

"Gods, but am I glad you're alive! You'll have to tell me everything about these wildlings! Who's your woman? It wasn't Val, was it?"

"What? No, her man was Jarl."

"Was?"

"The White Walkers followed us here. Never a full attack, just hitting the flanks, or the rear. As if they knew we were going to try and pass through the Wall and were trying to take as many as they could.

They only came at night, and then sentries and scouts...they'd disappear. Or else we'd find them dead, and walking. Jarl was one of those. It was hard on her.

Sometimes men would just die in their sleep, no White Walkers or anything, and come back. Tormund lost one of his sons that way."

"Did you see them?"

"No. I saw the bodies, and what they did to others. We kept a circle of fires around our camp, but ten thousand people...it was hard."

Ned put a hand on Jon's shoulder.

"Don't think about that. These people are safe from them now, thanks to you."

Jon smiled at him.

"Come, Jon. Stannis and Mormont will need to hear everything."


	21. Davos III

**Davos**

Davos had taken up smuggling again on Stannis' orders. While Sallador Saan harassed the Redwyne's supply lines, Davos slipped past the fleet in the dead of night to bring food to the Dragonstone garrison.

Rolland Storm was in command of the garrison - twice he had beaten off half-hearted landing parties. Queen Selyse remained steadfast as well, though she was worried about Little Lord Arryn, who she feared would grow more sickly if he went without food for any length of time. Maesters Colemon and Cressen were doing their best to care for him, and both agreed he might grow stronger, though he would always be frail and most likely not long-lived.

Meanwhile, Davos approached the island at night with a hold full of onions and smoked fish and left with crates full of dragonglass, mined from the tunnels beneath the island.

After a few weeks had passed the greater part of the Redwyne fleet passed south, more than likely to stave off the Ironborn invasion that was threatening their homelands. This only made Davos' job easier, as only a token force led by Paxter Redwyne was left to keep up the siege.

Davos' second job was to rally the Stormlords still royal to Stannis. The Stormlords were carrying out the war through quick raids, with Garlan's troops trying to either defend their homes or attempting to drive bandits, raiders, and broken men out of their hideouts in the Rainwood and hill country.

The Manderly and Dragonstone fleets were continuing to keep the soldiers at the Wall supplied, though they were restricted to White Harbor and Gulltown.

While smuggling Davos was able to listen in on what the smallfolk thought of the war. Opinion in the Riverlands and the Vale ran towards strongly supporting Stannis, but many in the North were suspicious about allowing the wildlings to pass through the Wall. King's Landing was strongly in support of Renly, but the Crownlands were teeming with worshipers of the Red God who had fled the city. Many had settled in towns or cities where they practiced their religion in secret, but there was rumor of a band of Red Bandits plaguing Renly's supply lines.

With the wildlings at least momentarily taken care of Stannis was preparing for an expedition. For the purpose of keeping the Northmen assured he was on their side he would be taking a joint force of Northmen (mainly Manderly troops) and his own men of Dragonstone. After breaking the siege of Dragonstone he intended to take King's Landing before retaking the Stormlands and the Reach.

All of this relied on two things, however: the outcome of the Battle of the Gold Road and the question of the Ironborn's loyalties.


	22. Victarion I

**Victarion**

Victarion Greyjoy stood on the deck of the _Iron Victory_ and watched the Ironborn assault the walls of Highgarden. He had led the third attack himself, the one that had opened the gates of the first circle while the defenders were distracted by the fighting on the other side of the castle. That had been in the late hours of the morning - the first attack had been the previous afternoon, the second, which was the first attempt to open the gates, around sundown. After opening the gates, Victarion had retired to his ship to rest, and now, as the sun rose, he had returned to see the end of this fortress.

The captains of the Iron Islands had sailed up the Mander and plundered a hundred holdfasts and villages, and just as planned the men of the Reach had rushed to defend their homes from the reavers.

This siege had been long in preparation: thousands of ladders and grappling hooks had gone up against the walls, and several of the smaller ships had been given wheels and turned into giant battering rams. Those had burned, but their hulks still offered protection against the hail of arrows sent against the Ironborn. they had lost many men, but the Ironborn were brave and fearless. The men had swarmed up onto the walls and thrown down the defenders, or were thrown down themselves.

The land around the castle was scorched black. The Ironborn had sacked every farm and village for miles around while the first assault was being held. The crops that had been seized rather than burned now were safely in the holds of the fleet, to feed the men. Doubtless once Highgarden fell there would be much more to feast on.

"How goes the battle?" he asked the man helping him put on his armor.

"We are assaulting the second wall. If we take it, the castle is ours. They are emerging from postern gates to attack us at a dozen points, though. It is...distracting."

While the man spoke Victarion cast his eyes over the great castle once more. The bodies of both Ironborn and Reachmen were piled about the walls, with many on either side of the gates: those bodies had been moved aside. The defenders had tried to hold the gateway after the the gates had been opened. Victarion admired their bravery. They had certainly taken many of the Ironborn with them. Clouds of arrows flew down from the walls, doubtless many landing among the Ironborn in the courtyard. Tendrils of smoke curled up, from where the defenders had tried to torch the buildings in the courtyard to deny the Ironborn cover. They had failed at that: the Ironborn would be crouched behind stables and storehouses, waiting for the archers to prepare another flight of arrows to move closer to the walls.

"I will deal with them."

As he spoke a ladder went up against the wall, and Ironborn tried swarming up it. Some tired soldiers rushed to the ladder and pushed it over, but they were slower than they were earlier that day. They were tiring. Victarion moved to the gangplank and picked up his axe from where it was leaning against the railing, cleaned and sharpened. He would gather fresh men from the ships and lead them to take the walls. He would be the first over the battlements, and before the day was done he would feasting in the halls. Perhaps he would even take Renly's queen as a salt wife. He had not had one since the one Euron killed, but for a queen...

Just as he stepped onto the shore, however, the sound of trumpets was heard from upriver. Victarion growled. The captains had reported that the knights had dispersed to guard the keeps along the river! how could they regroup so fast?

Ironborn horns sounded in answer, and the Ironborn scattered on the ground outside the castle clumped together, raising shields and marching to the shore. The first of the Ironborn inside the courtyard rushed out through the gates, and the sounds of fighting emanated from the castle. The defenders, doubtless hearing rescue, must have sallied forth.

"To the ships!" bellowed Victarion, full of rage. The Reachmen must have tricked them, somehow.

A cacophony of horns answered, sounding the retreat to the ships, and the knights galloped into sight quickly, following a banner bearing a striding huntsman. There were many, more than the Ironborn on the beach, certainly. The _Lord Quellon_ and _Lord Vickon_ were already sailing downstream at full sail. Victarion thanked the Drowned God that the wind was in their favor.

Ironborn in their dozen were rushing back to the ships. Luckily many had retired from the battle to rest, like Victarion. Only around four hundred were on the beach or in the courtyard. For them, it was a race to escape the knights. The slow and unlucky would be caught in the slaughter.

And it was a slaughter. The Ironborn were nothing against fresh men on horseback, especially so many of them. The man at their head wielded a greatsword of Valyrian steel. Victarion saw him even from the deck of the _Iron Victory_, the sword gleaming in the morning sun. The _Iron Victory_ was putting out oars for the center of the river. Others joined her: _Hardhand_ and _Grief_ on the starboard side, _Warhammer_ to port.

Most of the Iron Fleet was rushing to push off from the banks or raise anchor. A few were caught, their crews slaughtered as men swarmed up the gangplank. He saw _Lamentation_ go up like a torch, and the flower of Highgarden was raised over _Reapers Wind_. The Ironborn trapped on the beach were being killed in droves, and the knights were fighting them even in the shallows.

But now most of the Iron Fleet was in the middle of the river, and the battle on the banks was fading into the distance. Victarion cursed the Reachmen, cursed their trickery. Their commander must have had a truly ruthless cunning, keeping his men away from the rivers. It would have meant abandoning the smallfolk to the Ironborn - Victarion had not thought a greenlander capable of that.

As the fleet sailed downriver, Victarion saw swift riders on the river banks racing downstream. He doubted they could do much to stop him; by now the word would be spreading up and down the river that the Reachmen had rallied, and the captains would be returning to the Shield Isles.

The ships sailed quickly, and soon it was noon and the Iron Fleet was drawing near to a sharp bend in the river. It was at this time that a message was sent from the rearguard - small ships, some no more than barges, were pursuing them. Victarion suspected a trap, but when he heard the ships were packed with men, he saw a chance to pay the Reachmen back in full. Small ships packed with men in armor - they would be like sheep before wolves.

He ordered the fleet to turn and fight them, but no sooner was his own Iron Victory turned than a sound like the world's largest chain being rattled was heard, and a crunch of wood was heard as _Maiden's Bane_ struck an enormous boom chain that had been stretched across the water. She had been drifting downstream with her port side towards it, and half her oars on that side had snapped.

Victarion rushed to the railing and looked a the water. Most of the fleet had escaped the boom chain, but quite a few ships had been caught - _Maiden's Bane_, _White Widow_, _Woe_, _Dagon's Feast_, and _Red Tide_ were the ones he could see, but there must have been closer to fifteen there. Victarion was about to give the order to land on the banks and lower the boom chain when a flight of arrows flew up from the nearest Reachman ship. He saw that they were tipped with burning rags, and _White Widow_'s sails went up in a blaze of orange.

Victarion roared curses at the Reachmen as the remaining three-fourths of the Iron Fleet sailed downstream.


	23. Asha II

**Asha**

_Black Wind_ had dropped anchor off of this insignificant seeming holdfast yesterday afternoon, while the Iron Fleet sailed north to besiege Highgarden. It had been empty - it was apparently some minor knights' holdfast before he had gone away to war. If there were any household staff, they had fled inland. They found armor and weapons, and Asha had claimed a few rubies she had found in a box - maybe some prize he had won in a tourney.

Then they had made the mistake of sleeping there for the night. And staying to take everything that wasn't nailed down the next morning. Rugs, furniture, and everything from plates to candlesticks were loaded onto _Black Wind_. They had finished eating the last of the food when the horns were heard. It was around noon.

The knights and foot soldiers had come up the road and gone straight for the holdfast. The place was made up of a little courtyard and a single, squat tower with a balcony directly over the water, with a main gate opposite the tower facing the little road running along the Mander. Another mistake: breaking the lock on the door to the tower.

She called for her men to move to the doors, but by then the Reachmen had already forced it partially open. Her crew threw themselves at the door and tried to close it, but spears probed through the gap, skewering a few. Rolfe the Dwarf went down with a spearhead in his throat, and another stumbled backwards with a bleeding wound in his foot.

Asha immediately regretted taking most of the furniture. They grabbed what little they could - mostly splinters of broken wood from crates and chests they had overturned - and jammed them against the door, then fled, leaving two bodies behind. As they ran Asha thought about the men on the ship : Qarl the maid, Hagen and his daughter, and two others. There was nothing the four of them could do but get to deep water.

As they reached the landing on the second floor they heard the clank of heavy armor - the knights had taken the lead. Asha turned to her men.

"We'll have to jump off the balcony, but we'll need time to ake off the armor so we don't sink. I fancy meeting the Drowned God on the open sea, not this river."

"We'll have to take turns holding the door," said Fingers.

"I'll go first," said Sixtoed Harl.

"And me," said Droopeye Dale.

Asha nodded her thanks and led her men up the stairs. The clanking of the knights was not far behind. She found the door they needed and flung it open. Inside was a little room they had stripped bare, with a balcony overlooking the river.

Harl and Dale threw their weight against the door. The clanking of armor stopped, only to be replaced by the sound heavy maces began beating at the door.

Eerl Harlaw got his armor off first and took Harl's place at the door. Cromm did the same with Droopeye Dale.

Grimtongue jumped off the balcony just as the door gave in. The knights slew Eerl and Cromm, just as Asha joined rook at the balcony. She turned one last time to see the knights kill Dale and Harl, and several of her remaining crew threw themselves at the knights.

Asha threw herself into the river, with Roggon Rustbeard and Fingers close behind her. Fingers gave a scream as a crossbow bolt skewered his arm, but Roggon grabbed him and kept swimming.

After what seemed like hours Asha reached _Black Wind_, and her crew helped her up on board. While someone tended to Fingers' arm, the rest rushed to get the _Black Wind_ underway.

Asha looked one more time at the holdfast. Nearly all of her crew had died in the damned place, with only seven of them left, plus herself.

She sunk her hatchet in the railing angrily and watched the holdfast fade into the distance, the golden rose of Highgarden flying from the tower.


	24. The Battle of the Mander

**The Battle of the Mander**

The series of events that came to be known as the Battle of the Mander took place over several days. It ended in complete disaster for the Ironborn and resulted in heavy losses for both the Iron Fleet and individual captains. Though they were not out of the war, the battle was the high-water mark for their raids into the Reach.

The Ironborn began raiding up the Mander almost immediately after taking the Shield Islands, though these were almost always small raids on riverside towns involving no more than a few ships at a time. Nevertheless, this caused many smallfolk to move away from the river, mainly to the areas around large castles like Highgarden.

When Randyll Tarly arrived on the scene he began to move almost immediately. He drafted hundreds of blacksmiths - exact figures differ, but it is known that almost half of them were from Oldtown - and began the construction of several large boom chains long enough to stretch across the river. While this went on, he dispatched the Florents to guard the coast, both putting them closest to the action and keeping the potential defectors away from Highgarden. Lord Tarly did not make his base of operations Highgarden, but rather Cider Hall, which he considered the "line in the sand" for the Ironborn advance.

All this time, he kept his presence secret, only flying the striding huntsman of House Tarly when he himself went into battle, instead ordering his to only fly the golden rose of House Tyrell. He also stayed in Cider Hall until the first day of battle, and kept his ships upriver and his men inland. This worked, and the Ironborn were unaware Tarly was even in the area, and believed the Reach was defended by a much smaller force than it really was.

Though it took time and resources (several nobles' complaints that Tarly had stolen the winch chains on their drawbridges were ignored), the boom chains were ultimately completed and cunningly hidden, so that they could not be detected from the water. This was done at night and only with the knowledge of Tarly, his chief commanders, and the engineers, who were dismissed to their homes or to castles housing refugees. He then appropriated as many ships as he could find (most of these were barges, again taken from nobles while their complaints were ignored) and began hoarding pitch and oil.

The Ironborn finally moved in force up the Mander a mere three days after the Battle of the Gold Road, when the first half of the Redwyne fleet was sighted off Planky Town. The captains took the lead, striking in two dozen places at once and seizing small holdfasts and villages. Tarly dispatched squads of knights to attack the Ironborn's landings at several points, which tricked the iIonborn into thinking their diversion had worked. They sent word to Victarion, who took the Iron Fleet up the river to Highgarden. There hundreds of Ironborn disembarked and assaulted the castle. Willas Tyrell resisted strongly, and the Ironborn were driven from the walls. However, more Ironborn were landing on the riverbank, and more were coming in from torching the countryside.

At the same time, Randyll Tarly raised the first of the boom chains, just below Cider Hall. Close to twenty ships were caught, and the host of ships Tarly had hidden further upriver sailed down the Mander, bows packed with archers armed with flaming arrows. Meanwhile, Tarly's main force marched down both banks, with Tarly leading the bulk of his knights on the south bank. The Ironborn were caught, and as the foot soldiers drove the Ironborn off of the banks more archers with fire arrows rushed to the shore, driving the Ironborn's ships into deeper water. It was the second day of the battle.

Throughout the night, the Ironborn launched two assaults on the walls of Highgarden, both relying on diversions at other parts of the wall. The second succeeded in opening the gates, but the Ironborn could not penetrate the second circle, and the defenders harried the Ironborn by emerging from postern gates.

Meanwhile, Tarly's men were marching downriver, and as the foot soldiers cleared the banks they were able to raise the hidden boom chains, dividing up the Ironborn's ships. Tarly's knights rushed on ahead of the main army, smashing the Ironborn at Highgarden and slaughtering many of the Ironborn, who were trying to storm the walls for the fourth time. Victarion Greyjoy and most of the Iron Fleet, however, were able to escape before the boom chain was raised.

By noon Tarly's men had the Ironborn ships in full flight downriver, and many Ironborn raiding the countryside found themselves caught by vengeful Reachmen, including Asha Greyjoy, who lost most of her crew in one such engagement.

The next two days were spent continuing the march down the Mander to the ocean, though Ironborn losses were few during this part of the battle.

The Iron Fleet had lost a quarter of their strength and the individual captains had lost twice as many. Randyll Tarly's losses had been significant, though not crippling, though most of Highgarden's defenders had been slain.


	25. the Battle of the Gold Road

**The Battle of the Gold Road**

Almost 80,000 troops met on a stretch of road along the Blackwater. Both sides anchored their south flank on the river itself. Both sides were equally matched and had around 40,000 troops each. Yohn Royce was commanding an army composed of forces from the Riverlands and Vale that numbered close to 20,000 each.

Yohn Royce commanded the right flank, anchored on the river, and with him were the men of houses Royce, Waynwood, and Tully. Tytos Blackwood commanded the center, which was made up of houses Blackwood, Piper, and Vance, as well as the bulk of the Riverlander's knights under the command of Edmure Tully. The left flank was commanded by Horton Redfort, who commanded the forces of houses Redfort, Hunter, and Belmore. Jason Mallister commanded the reserve, which was made up of houses Mallister, Bracken, and Templeton. Brynden Tully commanded the scouts and outriders.

Renly Baratheon was commanding the left flank of his army, anchored on the river, made up almost entirely of Tyrell men. The center was commanded by Jon Fossoway, who also commanded the men of house Meadows, and Mark Mullendore commanded the right flank of the army, made up of men sworn to his own house and the men of house Ashford. Parmen Crane commanded the reserve.

Yohn Royce intended to stave off Renly's initial charge and, while the two sides were engaged, the reserve under Jason Mallister would swing around and attack Renly's northern flank. Renly intended to force the loyalists away from the river, denying them the guard on their flank, and opening them up for a devastating charge by his knights that he hoped would break through their lines, causing chaos.

Brynden's scouts were able to so hamper Renly's scouts that Renly's army was unaware they were nearing the loyalists until the vanguard under the command of Loras Tyrell came into sight of them. Loras hesitated while Renly brought the rest of the army up, which gave Royce enough time to bring forwards his pikemen. By the time Renly and the rest of the army arrived they were facing a wall of pikes.

Renly nevertheless ordered his men to sound the charge. While Loras led the bulk of the knights at Royce's pikemen, Fossoway and Mullendore likewise prepared to charge. However, Tytos Blackwood gave Edmure the signal to meet the Fossoway's charge.

In the ensuing clash Ronald Vance and Lucas Blackwood died, and Marq Piper received a wound and had to be carried from the field by Karyl Vance, who also slew Tanton Fossoway. Edmure Tully also captured Edwyd Fossoway.

When Jon Fossoway's foot soldiers began to close in, Edmure led his knights back to the loyalists' lines.

Meanwhile, the battle on the flanks was raging. Yohn Royce refused to give ground, and Renly was met with a wall of pikes. Though they took heavy losses, the knights began to break through, and Yohn Royce responded by bringing up his own knights of the Vale. On the north flank, Horton Redfort staved off Mark Mullendore's initial attack, though he took losses, including Harlan Hunter, who was commanding the men of his house while his brother rode with Yohn Royce. Brynden Tully was able to keep Mark Mullendore from flanking Horton's troops.

As Jon Fossoway led his men against the center, Tytos Blackwood sounded the charge, and the weakened knights broke, and Edmure's men began to fall on the foot soldiers, causing the center to crumble.

Yohn Royce's knights had stalled Renly's charge, and though Donnel Waynwood and Creighton Redfort were killed, Guyard Morrigen was also slain. Meanwhile, Royce's foot soldiers fell on Renly's and the south flank devolved into a chaotic melee.

When Renly heard that the center was failing, he ordered Parmen Crane to plug the gap, and Crane complied. But while his foot soldiers attacked Blackwood's men, Parmen Crane rallied the center and led them to join Mark Mullendore in attacking Horton Redfort. Tytos Blackwood saw this occurring and moved his men up to Redfort's right flank, preventing him from being flanked. However, now Jon Fossoway was in position to fall on Royce's left flank, pinning him to the river.

Yohn Royce saw that the battle was beginning to get out of hand, and sent three commands.

1) All troops to prepare a general fighting retreat north, possibly regrouping at Harrenhall.

2) Edmure Tully was to join the knights of the Vale in holding off Renly's knights while the footmen regrouped and reformed their lines.

3) Jason Mallister was to move immediately to fall on Renly's northern flank.

The lords of the Riverlands and the Vale complied immediately. It was a testament to the leadership of Royce that the army was able to work in such synchronicity.

While Brynden joined Jason Mallister in circling around to attack Renly's forces on the flank, Blackwood and Redfort began extricating their forces, reforming their lines and moving north. Parmen Crane and Mark Mullendore regrouped their own forces and began to follow, though they were hindered by the loyalists

Meanwhile, Edmure Tully fell on Renly's forces on the south flank just as Yohn Royce was leading a charge as well. While the two groups were fighting, the footmen detached themselves and regrouped, joining their lines to those of Blackwood and Redfort's, presenting a single united force. By this point the lines had completely shifted from north-south to east-west.

The battle between the knights, meanwhile, was not going well. Though Yohn Royce slew Emmon Cuy, Loras Tyrell slew Nestor Royce, and his son Albar died not long after trying to avenge him. The loyalists were losing men with every passing moment, and Yohn Royce needed an opportunity to escape. Luckily it came, in the form of Jason Mallister.

Led by Jason Mallister and Brynden Tully, the reserve fell on Renly's right flank. Parmen Crane was slain by Jason Mallister in single combat, and Harry Rivers captured Mark Mullendore. The right flank began to crumble. Renly rallied his knights and rode down the lines, gathering all the remaining knights he could from the army, hoping to stop the attack. Meanwhile, Yohn Royce took the opportunity to pull out of the battle, joining his footmen in retreating north.

The battle was ending, and it seemed Renly had won. Though the loyalists had succeeded in forming an orderly fighting retreat north, they had lost almost 10,000 men, while Renly's losses amounted to slightly more, 15,000. Renly's foot soldiers were preparing to pursue, while Renly himself was gathering all his knights to halt the attack on his right flank.

It was a mistake.


	26. Brienne III

**Brienne**

The thunder of hooves drowned out all other sound as Renly led the knights of the Reach to halt the attack on the flank.

The enemy had been truly tough. They had met Renly's army at every point with cunning moves, and though they were pulling out of the battle Renly was still confident they could continue any pursuit. Brienne stayed close to her king, the last of the Kingsguard aside from Loras Tyrell.

Mark Mullendore and Parmen Crane had gone missing when Jason Mallister led his men to attack the flank, and they were presumed dead or captured. Emmon Cuy and Guyard Morrigen were dead, killed while fighting the knights of the Vale. And Talbert Serry had been thrown from his horse by one of the Riverland's knights, and though he was alive he had been left horseless and had been left behind.

The knights passed thousands of dead men, ridden down by knights or slain in the saddle or killed in the melee between the foot soldiers. Knights and smallfolk alike lay on the ground, limbs hacked off and heads bashed in, and blood lays in pools. So much blood.

Brienne shut it out and followed Renly, still holding his banner, though her mace was covered in bits of brain and bone and her right side was coated in blood. She had seen hundreds of men die that day, and killed almost a dozen herself.

To their north was a pillar of dust, kicked up by the retreating army of Vale and Riverland soldiers. Ahead was another, this one kicked up by the battle still happening as Jason Mallister led the enemy's reserve against the men who until recently had been led by Parmen Crane and Mark Mullendore. The trumpets rang and nearly two thousand knights broke into a gallop. Renly's banner flapped as Brienne moved to Renly' left - Loras was on his right.

As they drew closer, she could see details in the battle. Foot soldiers grouped behind the flag of house Bracken fought men with the sigil of house Crane on their shields, while beyond them a band of Mallister knights grouped for another charge.

The knights drew their swords and maces - they had run out of lances long ago. Nearly three thousand - their number had been much larger at the start of the battle, but many were scattered throughout the battle or dead. Many had fallen fighting in the center against the Riverlander's knights, led by Edmure Tully, heir to Riverrun.

The knights broke over the foot soldiers like a wave, and the Bracken men broke and fled, or died. The Crane men rallied and charged, surging against the knights. Brienne saw one fall, a spear piercing his breastplate.

The knights kept riding, past clusters of men fighting, scattered knights who joined them or fled before them, banners of a dozen houses - this was merely the outskirts of the battle. They would be drawing close to the center shortly.

The dust grew thicker, and the knights once had to turn and assault a group of spear men numbering several hundred, and then the battle faded. Brienne only saw Renly riding to her right, her mace rising and falling, and the briefly glimpsed faces of the soldiers.

After what seemed like hours the soldiers grew fewer. They began to scatter, and Renly shouted. Nearby a trumpeter sounded the signal to reform.

The knights regrouped, three lines of men stretched out across the field. They rode again, and bands of knights fled before them, while foot soldiers drew off north, behind bands of men firing arrows in waves. Renly ordered a charge, and as they did the archers broke, but their spot in the lines was filled by knights bearing the sigil of house Bracken.

Renly's knights must have been drawing close to the retreating soldiers. He ordered a halt.

Brienne glanced behind her. Thousands of foot soldiers were moving up to support them, and before them were a dozen knights bearing the sigil of house Mullendore. Renly waited for them to join his men, then called another charge.

The battle faded again. The knights fought and died, or else fled, until Renly called a halt again, as hundreds of arrows fell upon them. The foot soldiers halted, ducking behind shield, while the knights did the same. Many of them died, or lost their mounts, while others fell back to regroup. The enemy was continuing this strategy, Brienne guessed: hitting the advancing forces with arrows, then falling back to let the knights do their work, the retreating and starting the process over again. All while the foot soldiers regrouped and backed off north.

Renly turned to Loras.

"We need to keep going. We need to get to the flank!"

Loras looked at the sun, then turned his horse to the trumpeter.

"Signal again. We need to head east!"

He pointed off - away from the sun. Noon must have come and gone.

The trumpets sounded again as the knights moved away from the retreating army. The fighting grew thicker and thicker, and always Renly's knights rode over those who opposed them and sped past any larger groups of soldiers. Brienne was conscious of knights falling next to her and being replaced by ones from the second and third rank.

The dust and noise grew thicker. The banner of Mallister flew high, next to the banner of house Tully, Bracken, and Templeton. Soldiers were running away from them, meaning the job had been done, and the flank had crumbled.

However, as they saw Renly, many paused, and soon the rout was slowing, and men were gathering to charge again. Brienne cheered with the rest of them as Renly spurred his horse out in front of the army, in awe of the loyalty he could inspire in so many.

The enemy was rushing to regroup, and as Renly charged a great shout went up from them. Thousands of men met in a crash of steel and wood, and blood flew through the air with broken pieces of sword and shield.

Then the trumpets blew. Not the trumpets of Renly's soldiers, but the trumpets of the Riverlords. She had heard those before, when Edmure came down upon them. Edmure was not leading these knights, however, instead it was a knight with a cape of Tully colors, clasped at the shoulder with a black fish. We was turning his men to attack Renly's forces from the side.

Brienne hurried to get to Renly's side, but the press of battle came between them. Renly was so busy fighting with another knight, one with brilliant armor bearing the eagle of Seagard - Lord Mallister or his heir.

The Blackfish drove his lance right at the gap in Renly's armor under his arm. It drove through the chainmail and broke, and Renly fell from the saddle.

Loras gave a cry like a wounded animal and charged, but behind him the knights faltered as they saw their king fall. Brienne tried to join Loras, but the enemy knights had already fallen back, leaving Loras to stand over the body of his king, his horse gone. He was bleeding heavily. Renly's troops halted, and the distance between the two sides grew, until the enemy disappeared from sight.

Brienne didn't remember the rest of the day. The troops pitched camp just upriver from the battle, but it was a grim setting. The crows and eagles descended in droves to feast on the slain, but Renly and Loras were brought to a tent in the center of the camp. Renly was still alive when they moved him, but he slipped out of consciousness. Loras had died almost immediately. Though the healers did their best, they could not save Renly, and he died before dawn came.

Brienne joined the grieving with the rest. They buried the two together on the river bank, just as Renly had requested with his dying breath. After they had raised a cairn over the spot, the army settled in to wait. They waited because only Jon Fossoway was left to command. Talbert Serry would not leave his tent. Brienne would not leave the grave, except to eat, once a day.

The army was camped on the banks of the Blackwater for days.

A rider went east to the city, but did not return. A rider went north, and said the enemy had made it to Harrenhall. A rider went south, and brought back news of the Ironborn's raid.

That was the last rider to return, and the news was enough for the army. The men wanted to return to defend their homes. To defend Renly's queen. They built a pontoon bridge and crossed the Blackwater, and act which took an entire day.

When the last troops had crossed Talbert Serry torched the bridge, and then he spoke to the army.

"Renly is dead. We have accomplished nothing by mourning him here. His queen needs us. Our homes need us."


	27. Cersei II

**Cersei**

Cersei Lannister, Queen of Westeros. It sounded good. She wanted to say it out loud.

"Cersei Lannister, Queen of Westeros."

"My lady?" asked Daario.

"Nothing. I am just eager for revenge."

She stood on the deck of one of the many ships Pentos had lent her army. Truly there were the most foul sellswords on Essos, cutthroats and murderers, criminals, rapers, thieves, and exiles, all the better to unleash upon the land that had turned against her, their rightful queen.

Pentos had scraped together hundreds and hundreds of ships for this, their holds were stuffed with horses and men, weapons and provisions, and all the gear an army of 20,000 men needed. Half had landed on Massey's Hook and amrched up the coast to King's Landing. Cersei had passed through the Bite with the other half. Soon they would be on the city.

The city she cursed with every breath. The fury she intended to unleash on it...

Her father's sack would be _nothing_ in comparison.

"Mother, may I speak with you?" asked Joffrey.

She turned to face her oldest son. He had taken this ordeal worse than the other two. She had promised him the revenge of his choice, and he had asked for the Stark girl.

He had also been spending a lot of time with some of the sellswords. Apparently he was training with the sword, but Cersei believed he was attempting to make allies. That was for the better. These mere sellswords would be the new lords of Westeros, once the old ones were slain and their heads piled before the Iron Throne.

She nodded and followed him into the cabin. Tommen was gazing out the window. Myrcella was not in the room.

She dismissed her younger son and sat down on the window seat next to Joffrey.

"Mother, who will I marry after we retake the Seven Kingdoms?"

Cersei paused.

"Why will you need a wife? You will have any girl in the kingdom you wish."

"Yes, but after you, I...will be king," he seemed to have resigned himself to not inheriting the throne right away, but Cersei would not be robbed of her chance at power. "And I will need to have a trueborn heir."

Cersei stroked his hair.

"My son, no woman is good enough for you."

"Not even Myrcella?"

Cersei froze.

"Have you-"

"No, mother, of course not!" he said, pulling away from her.

"Then never think that again. That was what almost ruined our family."

"But you loved father! And you will silence anyone who said otherwise, like the Targaeryens."

Her first thought was _Oh, gods, he called Jaime father_, and her second was _That sounds like something Jaime would say_.

"I will hear no more of this."

"But you always said the Lannisters are above all the rest of Westeros! Why should a lion lie with the sheep?"

Cersei resisted the urge to slap him. Instead she stood and declared in a loud voice,

"You will never speak of this again, and you will _never_ go near your sister!"

Joffrey sunk into a sullen silence, while Cersei left the cabin.

She signaled to one of the Lannister guardsmen.

"Find my daughter. See that she is unharmed."

She shivered. Joffrey was wrong, of course, that had destroyed her chances at the throne, had killed Jaime, but then why was she so unsure of that?

She tried to push it out of her mind, but still she was worried. Joffrey grew more bitter with every day he had to live with the memory of defeat. When he became king, after her death, there would be no one to stop him from taking what he wanted.

Cersei looked across the water, willing the ship to reach King's Landing faster.


	28. Griff I

**Griff**

The Golden Company's camp outside of Volantis was in an uproar. Ever since the elections, when the tigers came to power and war against the Dragon Queen became inevitable, all ships heading east to Slaver's Bay had been halted.

_The Bay of Ghis, she demands it be called_, Griff reminded himself.

Now, the Golden Company was stranded outside the city. Aegon VI was unable to sail east to meet his aunt.

The commanders of the Golden Company had known all along that Aegon was not, in fact, "Young Griff". That had been a larger blow to Jon Connington. He had thought the whole thing secret. Still, he was willing to listen to the commanders as they pitched ideas for how to get to the Bay of Ghis.

"We have no other options left," said Marq Mandrake, "If we take the demon road we'll lose too many men. We cannot use the Volantene fleet to get to the Bay and then raise our banners for the Dragon Queen," he shot a look at Harry Strickland, who had vehemently opposed any plan that would bring a stain on the honor of the Company, "So, maybe we should consider this plan of going to Westeros."

"It'll never work!" insisted Strickland, "Without the dragons Aegon will be seen as a pretender, and the Hightowers and Martells will never join us."

"But Stannis is at the Wall and his brother is fighting the Ironborn and Lannisters! While he is turned west, let us attack and take King's Landing!" Franklyn Flowers said.

Griff sighed. He was growing tired of the lies and secrecy, and of Strickland's cowardice. Still, it seemed he had to choose between the two.

"Strickland, if we betray the Volantenes then it will be the last contract we will ever have to fulfill. We can return home to Westeros as conquerors and live out our lives in keeps of our own."

Franklyn Flowers shook his head, "Why should the Dragon Queen help us? We are going to her, hat in hand, and asking for her to back Aegon's claim, a claim which supersedes hers and which she has reason to doubt the legitimacy of - no offense, your grace," he added.

The tent looked to explode into another round of argument when Aegon stood up.

"I say go east! You are both right. We need the dragons to take Westeros, but we cannot get to the dragons without cheating the Volantenes. I say this plan of subterfuge is our best bet."

Harry Strickland began to speak, but wilted under Griff's gaze. He felt a surge of contempt at the man's cowardice.

"You will go to the Volantenes and tell them we are accepting their offer," Griff said. He turned to the others. "When we reach the shores of the Bay of Ghis, we raise the Targaeryen banners. For Aegon and Danaerys!"

The other men took up the cheer.

"For Aegon and Danaerys Targaeryen!"


	29. Tyrion III

**Tyrion**

Tyrion had grown to hate this ship. Trapped below decks as the early Autumn storms raged, he had lost track of how many days had passed. He had sunk into a wine-induced stupor almost immediately. Unfortunately, they did not have much wine.

So Tyrion had had to suffer in the dark hold, listening to the praying of Thoros and Beric, the rasping sound of Bronn sharpening his sword, and the creak of wood and rope. Occasionally the hatch would open and he would hear the bellowing of the storm and the yelling of the sailors. Four days in a man with a broken leg was brought below. He lay moaning, lost in a fever. The men said he was dying, but there was nothing they could do for him. Thoros could only pray for the man.

When the storm ceased he almost felt like praying himself.

They arrived in Volantis a week after the storms, and then the true danger began.

The Volantene fleet waited outside the harbor, stretching from one end of the horizon to the other. They stopped the ship and informed them that they would not allow them to pass east. After they let the ship enter the harbor, Thoros joined Tyrion on deck.

"We were almost too late," said Thoros, looking at the fleet.

"Almost?" asked Tyrion.

"The fleet has not yet set sail. We must wait here. Beric and Edric are going into the city to gather news."

When the two returned late that night, Beric looked uneasy. He met them on the deck of the ship, a torch in his hand.

"They are stopping any ships going to the bay. And I don't think we can outrun them."

"What of the forces arrayed against the queen?"

"New Ghis, Qarth, and Tolos are all joining in the war. Volantis has also hired the Golden Company."

Bronn scowled.

"Sounds like a tough lot."

"They are nothing before the Lord of Light. He will be with us," said a deep voice.

A man stepped out of the shadows. He was over six feet tall and had skin black as coal. He had a bushy mane of hair and his face was tattooed with flames. They seemed to move and dance like real flames in the light of the torch Beric held.

Bronn snorted.

Beric motioned to the man.

"This is Moqorro. He serves the High Priest of R'hollor here in Volantis."

"And I can help us escape the Volantene fleet."

Tyrion was suspicious, but remained quiet as Moqorro moved across the deck to a lit brazier. He pointed to Tyrion.

"I need a live man. To kill. It will give us favorable winds, so the Volantenes cannot catch us."

Thoros and the others looked at each other.

"What about the sailor with the broken leg?" asked Tyrion, "He's dying anyway."

Thoros nodded, though he looked unsure.

When they left the harbor under cover of night, Moqorro brought the sailor up on deck, then slit his throat and threw him into the sea, praying to his Red God to grant them favorable winds.

Tyrion shivered at the sight. Beric gazed straight ahead, expressionless, and Edric Dayne was below decks. Bronn turned to look over the other side of the ship. Thoros bowed his head and offered up a prayer for the man.

But the wind picked up, and the ship sped past the Volantene fleet, and soon was out on the open sea.

Volantis was behind them. The Bay of Ghis was ahead.


	30. Jon III

**Jon**

It took all day for the wildlings to pass through the Wall. Even though a third had gone west to pass at the Shadow Tower and another third had gone to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea with the giants and mammoths, there were still thousands. Jon had already seen the wildlings. Instead, he turned his attention to the watching soldiers. Mounted knights stood in ranks on either side of the gate, ready if the wildlings to make a move. Hundreds of northerners were gathered behind the King and his men.

The Red Woman was collected as always, and Maester Pylos was frantically taking notes. The amount of food they would need to feed these 10,000 people was staggering. Even though they brought huge numbers of livestock, the wildlings needed grain and vegetables, and many of their livestock would doubtless be turned over to feed the garrisons when the winter bit deeper.

Robb, Ned, and Stannis were grouped around a map, occasionally pointing at the wildlings or the lords behind them. They were planning which wildling chiefs would go to which castle. Jon had told them all he knew of the chiefs, and later Robb and Stannis would submit their plan to Mance.

Meanwhile, the northmen gripped their weapons and stared daggers at the wildlings, who responded in kind. The hatred of generations was instilled in their bones, and peace would not be had easily.

Others merely gawked in amazement. In the crowd were Hornfoots, cave dwellers painted bright colors with filed teeth, people of the Frozen Shore in their chariots of bone and sleds pulled by hounds, and a dozen strange and odd people. Borroq the Skinchanger and his enormous boar and Varamyr Sixskins and his beasts especially caused a stir.

Jon ignored their glances. Some would see him as a traitor, gone back to being a crow after his time among them, others a hero who gave his freedom for them. He would not be alone in that, he knew. The sons of the wildlings chief stood in their new black clothing with Mance Rayder and the handful of wildlings who had volunteered to join the Night's Watch. The Weeper and Rattleshirt had gone west and east, respectively.

The chiefs each greeted Stannis as their people passed through. Tormund enveloped Stannis in a mighty hug which almost left the king flustered, but he regained his composure and nodded in response. Morna White Mask took off her Wierwood mask to kiss his cheek, and Devyn Sealskinner and a dozen others gave him strange and rare gifts.

The Thenns entered the gate proud and tall, in their armor of bronze. Their leader, Siggorn, bowed stiffly to the king in greeting and passed through the Wall while his son, Styr, went to join the other hostages.

The last of the wildlings were beginning to pass through the Wall, along with the remaining livestock - aurochs, sheep, and goats, and a handful of horses. The Old Bear rode over to Mance with a score of Black Brothers and led him and the others away to the godswood to take their vows.

Jon joined Stannis and the other soldiers in passing through the gate. Inside, it was chaos. Thousands of wildlings rubbed elbows with northmen and knights from the south. Livestock brayed and bellowed and men shouted as they tried to organize themselves.

Ghost snarled at Belloq's great boar, but when Jon called him he stayed by his side.

"What a mess," grumbled Stannis. It would take most of the day to sort this out, Jon knew, and the wildlings could not even leave until the next day. Instead they would pitch camp in the open land south of Castle Black. A thousand campfires were already going up. Jon wondered what the scene was like on the narrow Bridge of Skulls near the Shadow Tower or the docks at Eastwatch.

He rode ahead through the crowd, trying to reach Hardin's Tower so he could sleep. However, there before the door was a wildling with red hair. Jon recognized Ygritte even from a distance.

Jon couldn't avoid her forever. He had no idea who she was following, but he would have bet anything she would try and stay at Castle Black.

He dismounted in front of the gates and tied up his horse. He would take it back to the stables when the crowd thinned out.

"Jon Snow! How dare you!"

He sighed and turned to face Ygritte. The wildling woman looked furious.

"Ygritte, I didn't have a say in the matter!"

"In what matter? Taking the black or losing it in the first place?"

"Ygritte, you have to know that I _do_ love you, no matter how this all started."

She looked like she wanted to hit him.

"You know nothing, Jon Snow! You know the Night's Watch vows. We can't be together. And you knew it."

"Ygritte, I'm sorry, but it was this or die a traitor. I couldn't stay a wildling."

"I don't think you ever were one."

"Ygritte, please..."

"You and your vows. You always were a kneeler."

She spat at the ground and turned to walk away. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Ygritte, wait! I still love you..."

She shook off his hand.

"And I love you."

"Then I'll find a way. A way for us to be together."

"You know nothing, Jon Snow."

She disappeared into the crowd.


	31. Victarion II

**Victarion**

Victarion watched the Redwyne ships hove into view. He nearly laughed aloud.

In the bay before the Redwyne ships were a half-dozen Ironborn vessels, at anchor and seemingly empty while their crew ravaged the Arbor. The Redwynes, seeing the opportunity to save their home and trap the Ironborn at the same time, had sailed straight ahead to capture the ships.

The Redwynes didn't know that those ships' holds were stuffed to the brim with Ironborn soldiers. Now Victarion was sailing around the island to hit the unwary Redwyne fleet from behind.

Alright, half the fleet. According to men they had captured, Paxter Redwyne had given his two sons each half of the fleet while keeping a score of ships for himself at Dragonstone. One half had left a week before the other, and now one of those sons was somewhere off the Stormlands while the other was in the Redwyne Straits.

Victarion ordered the Iron Fleet to sail ahead. The Redwynes saw the ships sail around the headland and scrambled to meet them. Meanwhile, the forerunners of the fleet had reached the decoys, and the Ironborn belowdecks were probably swarming up the ladders to fight off the Redwyne boarders.

The Redwynes had rather more ships, due to the losses incurred by the Ironborn on the Mander. Victarion still scowled when he remembered it. The Ironborn had responded in kind, though, and had executed the lords of Shield Islands they had taken captive. His niece Asha had objected, but she had gone soft after the battle, it seemed. She had refused to take part in this battle.

The _Iron Victory_ slammed into the first Redwyne ship, and with a loud crunching sound her hull gave way, and the little galley sank below the waves. Victarion roared and turned to face another ship heading towards them.

The deck was covered with soldiers who jumped across the railing as the two ships moved alongside one another. Victarion led the charge against them, axe singing as he cut through armor, bone, and flesh.

The soldiers were driven back onto their ship, which Victarion's men began seizing.

Meanwhile, the Ironborn in the decoy ships had taken several Redwyne vessels and were fleeing. The Ironborn on the Arbor would make their way along the coast to where several longships were waiting to pick them up along with their plunder.

Victarion turned his attention to the naval battle. The Redwynes were giving as good as they got, and several Ironborn vessels sank beneath the waves.

They would go to meet the Drowned God - it mattered not to Victarion.

The Redwynes had been caught strung out in a line as they sailed back to port. Doubtless they had not expected to meet such an attack this close to home. However, the fleet was beginning to reform, and soon the Ironborn would be enveloped. Victarion gave the order to retreat. They would regroup and sail to the far side of the Arbor, where more ships waited. They would lead the Redwynes a merry dance up and down the coast, scattering and reforming to take the larger fleet apart piece by piece.

The Iron Fleet began pulling away from the enemy ships, though several were captured or sunk as the Redwynes swept in to attack. Victarion estimated they had lost about five ships while sinking or capturing three times that number.

The other captains would warn him that the Redwynes would not be taken off guard so easily next time, but Victarion savored this little piece of revenge. After all, there was a barrel of Arbor gold to celebrate with.


	32. Samwell II

**Samwell**

Castle Black was a mess. Though the wildling chiefs had been relocated to their own castles or settled on the Gift, there were still thousands of men remaining. Aside from the 200 Black Brothers of the Night's Watch, there were also 3,000 men under Lord Stark and 2,000 under Mance Rayder. There were also close to a thousand assorted maesters, craftsmen, scribes, and workers helping to renovate the castle to house all those people.

Samwell Tarly of the stewards was in over his head. He was assigned to handle all incoming letters from the other castles, and respond to them accordingly.

Requests for more workers, more food, or more supplies were most common. The Night's Watch was under-supplied before Stannis arrived, and with the arrival of 10,000 wildlings and twice as many northmen the situation was made worse. Stannis was bringing in shipfuls of supplies from Gullstown and White Harbor, but still many castles had little to none of the the things they needed.

Sam had to decide what to send where. Some requests couldn't be met - Harma Dogshead wanted chainmail and steel spears for each of her 1,000 men. Others were low priority - candles were not as necessary as grain and wool, so the shipment of candles to Woodswatch-by-the-Pool was put on hold until further notice.

The next most common letter was complaints. A wildling stabbed a soldier, a Black Brother raped a shieldwife, a knight pulled rank to confiscate some grain, Samwell saw multiple complaints a week, and he always forwarded those to Jeor Mormont or Stannis, who always had the same response: rapers and murderers to be executed, thieves to lose a hand, knights and lords (and chiefs) abusing power to be fined. This applied to wildlings, soldiers, Black Brothers, and knights and lords alike.

Sam saw more of these complaints coming from the Night's Watch commanders or from lords of the Seven Kingdoms. The wildlings usually only complained that their men were being reprimanded by lords, when they should have been tried the wildling way, but Stannis was adamant that those who lived under the king's protection should live under the king's laws.

Sam suspected that more crimes were being committed on the wildlings than was being reported, and brought this up to Stannis. After Jon explained that if those who committed crimes against widlings were left unpunished, the wildlings would take justice into their own hands. After that, Stannis sent one of his hand-picked men to each castle to oversee justice themselves. After "Stannis' Judges" were dispatched, complaints dropped twofold within the month.

Sometimes the complaints were more complex. When Harma Dogshead reported that Ardrian Celtigar would not meet with a woman and only spoke to her brother, Stannis moved him to Greyguard and gave command of the castle Harma Dogshead. When Guncer Sunglass clashed with Mother Mole over religious matters, Stannis sent Hugo "Big Bucket" Wull to act as a mediator. And when some Umber men wished to marry wildlings Stannis told them to do it the wildling way.

The rarest letters told of some success, sad to say. Greenguard had been restored to full order after almost two months of work. Dacey Mormont was marrying one of Tormund Giantsbane's sons. And a joint ranging out of Oakenshield under Harrion Karstark and Devyn Sealskinner had survived an attack by wights with no casualties - a small attack, but it was a success nonetheless.

Still, even these small victories pointed to growing bonds between the northmen and the wildlings, and to a lesser extent Stannis' lords. It seemed the only rough spot was the Night's Watch itself.

Aside from a handful of men, none of the wildlings or Stannis' workers had joined the Watch. Commanders were harshly enforcing the laws about celibacy, a fact Sam had to state to Gilly several times. Several complaints were related to this, and Jeor Mormont had ridden to the Nightfort to consult with Stannis. They had spoken for almost a week, and when he returned he seemed haggard. Sam wasn't sure what he and the king had been working on, but he caught at least one conversation between the Old Bear and Lord Stark, while he was studying old records in the library.

"Pass it through a vote?" asked Lord Stark. Sam stayed quiet and listened.

"If I do it any other way they'll say I'm betraying the Watch. They'll want my head," responded the old Bear.

"So why should they pass it at all?"

"Because then they'll have the choice. If they get to _choose_ the reforms, they'll all be for it. A wife and children, a keep to retire in, and the possibility of being ennobled. What common member of the Watch would say no to that?"

Sam was astounded. Reform the Watch? Repeal the vows of celibacy? He was amazed Stannis had even agreed to this. The news would get out eventually, but until then, Sam would have to keep quiet.


	33. Ned IV

**Ned**

When word came of Renly's death on the Gold Road Stannis immediately began preparing for a voyage south. He mustered 1,000 of his own men and an equal number of northmen. He also wanted Ned to join him, as well as Theon. He wanted to use the ward as an envoy to the Ironborn.

And so Ned called Jon Snow to his quarters to speak with him. He had put off this conversation for as long as possible, but he had made Jon a promise.

_Promise me, Ned_.

When they had left Winterfell, Ned had told the boy the next time they met they would talk about Jon's mother.

Now they would have that talk.

Jon sat before him, nervous. He had lived his entire life not knowing his mother. Now he would know the truth. Ned was afraid of hurting the boy, but ti was time he knew. He could make no claim to the throne now that he was in the Night's Watch.

"Jon, I have always told people you were my bastard. I did that because...I made a promise. A long time ago. To your mother."

Jon looked shocked. Ned bowed his head wearily.

"You...are not my father?"

He felt ashamed, as if he had left the boy down.

"No. Jon, what I am about to tell you must not leave this room. It would...have terrible consequences."

Jon swallowed. He had just had the world yanked out from under him.

"Your mother was Lyanna, my sister. When I found her, dying in the Tower of Joy, she made me promise, with her dying breath, to never tell anyone of your father, to keep you safe."

"My father-"

"Was Rhaegar Targaeryen."

Jon was silent, mouth agape.

"I thought...you were my father."

"I am sorry, Jon. I tried to be like a father to you, to raise you and Robb like brothers, to protect you. If Robert had found out about your parentage, you would not be safe."

"Who am I then? Not a Stark, not a...a Targaeryen."

"You are Jon Snow, a sworn brother of the Night's Watch."

Jon seemed to take solace in that.

"Fa- Lord Stark. You say I must keep this secret."

"Yes. I am sorry I had to lie to you. Sometimes we must do...dishonorable things for those we love, or risk greater dishonor."

"A lie. To save me."

Ned sighed.

"I do love you, Jon. You are my blood. The fact that you do are not my son does not change that. Nor does it change the fact that Robb also loves you."

"Robb...does he know?"

"No. And it should stay that way. He will command the northmen while I go south. He has proved himself capable enough."

"I should...take my leave of you."

They both stood and embraced.

"Farewell," said Ned.

"Farewell, uncle," responded Jon.

Ned watched him leave. He sat down again, weary.

_Promise me, Ned_.

He had kept his promise. The boy was safe.


	34. Brienne IV

**Brienne**

The army moved south, into the Reach. On the third day of the march, they got word from Randyll Tarly. The Ironborn had been defeated on the Mander and had withdrawn to the Shield Islands, where they had killed the hostage lords. Talbert Serry wept to hear that. The messenger, meanwhile, took the news of Renly's death south to Highgarden.

The march continued. Brienne found the pain of Renly's death growing more numb, and as it did so, she found Jon Fossoway and Talbert Serry asking her to join them at councils. It was strange that they should ask a woman to council with them, but Brienne had been Renly's banner carrier, and all had seen her in battle. They weren't quite forming respect for her, but at least they were acknowledging her.

Two days after Tarly's messenger they received a lone rider coming from the west. He was tired, his shield, bearing the sigil of House Osgrey, was broken, and his horse nearly dead on its feet. When he was given water and had rested he told his story.

"The Lannisters sent a force south to attack Old Oak and Goldengrove. Lady Oakheart was at Highgarden with most of her troops. Her lands...

I haven't seen anything like it. There's not a smallfolk alive on Oakheart land, nor a farm that's been burnt, nor a village that's been looted.

Goldengrove...they floated siege engines down the river on barges. They broke down the gates, swarmed over the walls...and now Mathis Rowan's wife and children are dead. I saw the heads myself, when I was with a scouting party Lord Webber sent. They torched the castle as well."

"What happened to Lord Osgrey?" asked Jon Fossoway.

"Burned in his tower with all his family. His surviving troops, including me, fell back to join the men of House Webber. He and Lady Oakheart had crossed the Mander with their own forces, but as we approached the Northern Marches we found...nothing. The Lannisters had retreated as soon as their job was done. I have never seen so meticulous pillaging. Neither had Lord Webber. In just one month..."

"Did truly no smallfolk survive?"

"Survive? Some did, but with their wives and daughters raped and their homes burned and crops spoiled. Hundreds of them hid in holdfasts or escaped across the river, but now the Northern Marches are laid waste.

Damn the Lannisters! We didn't find any soldiers, though the smallfolk told of raiders attacking the Lannister men. All that land is practically empty, there's plenty of places for them to hide. Though the Lannisters didn't get away unbloodied. We found plenty of bodies, nearly a thousand at Goldengrove. They took heavy losses, but I can't tell you how many were there in the first place."

"And Lady Oakheart?"

"She and Lord Webber are at Old Oaks with all their men, trying to gather enough food for their soldiers to survive the winter."

Jon Fossoway stood and ushered Brienne and Talbert Serry out of the tent.

"So it seems that the Northern Marches are undefended. The smallfolk dead or fled, Houses Rowan and Osgrey...wiped out, and all the land north of the Mander in the Lannister's reach," said Talbert Serry. He sounded as if he couldn't believe it. The Lannisters had finally moved, and in their wrath they would wipe out entire noble families.

"Winter is coming. The Reach has lost much of its crops. Goldengrove and Standfast should have had three years' worth of food in their cellars, but those are burned or carried off," said Jon Fossoway.

"We need to send men to garrison the holdfasts and castles in the Northern Marches. After that, gather up all the remaining food we can. If the Lannisters come again, they won't find us so easy a target as the smallfolk the murdered."

Jon Fossoway nodded in agreement.

"And maybe we can find those raiders the rider talked about."

He turned to Brienne.

"Go to Lady Oakheart and tell her of our plan. Talbert Serry, you go to Randyll Tarly. I will lead a force to Goldengrove and see if I can rebuild it enough to be defensible."

Brienne wondered if that was Jon Fossoway's attempt of claiming Goldengrove for his own, but thought no more about it. She would go to Old Oak and tell them of Fossoway's plan. She wondered if the Reach could find enough food to help the garrisons last the winter, since doubtlessly most of the lords would be busy trying to do the same in their own lands. From what the messenger had told them, every Lord would be attempting to secure his own holdings before the Lannisters arrived.

Brienne grew determined. Renly had not died so that the lands of his Queen would be pillaged and burned! She swore to herself the she would stop the Lannisters in whatever way she could. The next day, she rode to Old Oak.


	35. Cersei III

**Cersei**

Cersei rode proudly through the streets of King's Landing. Well, what was left of them.

Taking the city had been costly - the sellswords had swarmed up the walls at a dozen points while more of them surged against the gates. The Goldcloaks and Tyrell bannermen had resisted strongly for two days, but after the gates fell the city was lost. The sellswords had taken out their fury on the inhabitants of the city, and at Cersei's bidding they had committed more atrocities.

Whole blocks of housing, including much of Flea Bottom, had burned, and the rest of the homes in the city had been appropriated by her men. Mathis Rowan and Mace Tyrell had died on the steps of Maegor's Holdfast. It had been a savage fight taking the castle, but the bravest and most skilled men had been first over the walls, eager for the riches of the Red Keep.

Hardly a single one of the smallfolk had been left alive within the walls of the city, except for a few women the sellswords had claimed for their own. Every brothel in the city had been burned at Cersei's orders, as she tried to wipe the memory of Robert from her mind. The whores had been turned over to the sellswords. Bealor's Sept was a pile of rubble, the Most Devout added to the pile of heads in front of the Lion's Gate.

Mace Tyrell and Mathis Rowan had also contributed to the pile, as well as Grand Maester Gormon, but Jacelyn Bywater, the Commander of the Goldcloaks, had eluded her soldiers somehow. In addition, the countryside had risen up against her, but she had plans to end that.

Now, though, she rode through the newly taken city, with her children and several of her chief captains following her. The streets were choked with rubble, ash, and dead bodies, of which the soldiers were only clearing away the latter. Many of the sellswords were drinking and feasting, revelling in their victory. Only a few mourned their fallen comrades.

Some cheered her as she rode by. Cersei did not respond. She did not need the approval of this scum, only their swords. She turned to speak to Daario.

"Have the the ravens been sent out?"

"Yes, your grace. All Westeros will know of your victory."

"Good. Expect a response from my father. And I have a decree for the men."

Several of the captains rode closer to hear her.

"If any man wants a keep or lands for his men, let him take them by force of arms. That is my word as Queen."

Murmuring, some of the captains turned to ride off. Within the week men would be rushing to claim castles for themselves. First Rosby, Stokeworth, and Tumbleton would fall, then as the lands in the Crownlands were taken up the sellswords would roam farther afield, and after her father's armies crushed her enemies, all of Westeros would be open to them.

For now, though, she returned to the Red Keep. She drank in the sights of the conquered city, the city that had scorned her. Now she had returned with vengeance, and they had paid.

She looked behind her. Tommen and Myrcella were averting their eyes; they were entering the part of the city that hadn't been cleared of bodies yet. Joffrey, however, was looking on with grim satisfaction. That was good; he knew that these people had gotten what they deserved.

She turned and rode up the street towards the Red Keep. She had made sure they had not pillaged it too thoroughly. What use was being queen if you didn't have a little comfort?

Her thoughts turned back to Joffrey. Perhaps he was right. It would not do for the lion to lie with the sheep. She would give marriage between him and Myrcella more thought.

Meanwhile, she would wait for word from her father. Once he moved, they could join their forces and burn Westeros to the ground.


	36. Mormont's Reforms

**Mormont's Reforms**

I, Stannis Baratheon, the First of his name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Shield of the Free Folk, Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, recognizing that the Night's Watch in its current form is not suited to stand firm against the enemy known as the Others, do approve and endorse these reforms.

I, Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, do take full responsibility for these reforms and any unforeseen consequences or repercussions that may arise through their implementation.

Article 1: The vows of the Night's Watch shall be amended to the following:

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die in service to the realm. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all nights to come."

Article 2, Section 1: Members of the Night's Watch, upon completing their fifteenth year of service, shall be given a plot of land in the Gift or the New Gift measuring 40 acres, including the materials to build a home, seed, and tools for the planting and harvesting of crops.

Section 2: No member of the Night's Watch is allowed to hold more than one plot of noncontinuous land.

Section 3: Owning a plot of land prevents that member of the Night's Watch from inheriting other land.

Section 3: A retired member of the Night's Watch can still be called up for emergency service by the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.

Section 4: One third of every harvest man's must be sent to the Wall to contribute to the stores there.

Section 5: Every household must be able to produce a specific good, whether it is cloth, furniture, metalwork, candles, ect. and donate half of their yearly output from these industries to the Night's Watch. The rest can be sold at the owner's leisure.

Article 4: A member of the Night's Watch can be appointed a keep and the title of Lord of the Night's Watch by a jury of his peers. The duties and privileges or a Lordship of the Night's Watch are as follows.

1) The Lord of the Night's Watch will be allowed to form a new House and create his own heraldry.

2) The Lord of the Night's Watch will receive a keep on the Gift or the New Gift and eighty acres of land.

3) The Lord of the Night's Watch will be required to muster the men on farmsteads in his land and lead them to war.

4) The Lord of the Night's Watch must oversee the collection, storage, and distribution of supplies to last the winter.

5) The Lord of the Night's Watch must collect the goods and crops produced by the people on the land under his command and transport it to the Wall.

6) The Lord of the Night's Watch must organize the purchasing of supplies for him and the men under his command from the local stewards.

Article 3: Members of the Night's Watch will be allowed to marry a woman of their choosing and father children. A member of the Night's Watch can only pass his land on to his heir if said heir is a member of the Night's Watch.

Article 4: A member of the Night's Watch must oversee the training of his children as warriors on his own unless he wishes for them to join the Night's Watch.

Article 5: A son or daughter of the Night's Watch cannot hold any office or title in the lands outside the Gift or New Gift. This restriction also applies to the grandchildren of a member of the Night's Watch, but after the third generation the restrictions are removed.

Article 6: Inheritance of the lands and keeps of the Night's Watch is to occur via cognatic primogeniture.

Article 7, Section 1: If a child of a member of the Night's Watch who is not an heir wishes to join the Night's Watch, they will be given land in a different part of the Gift or New Gift from their parents' land.

Section 2: If the owner of a keep or plot of land dies, and they leave no heirs, and all of their siblings already own land, then the land returns to the Night's Watch to be doled out to new members.

Article 8, Section 1: Women are permitted to join the Night's Watch provided

1) They can pass combat requirements set by a jury of their peers.

2) Are the children of members of the Night's Watch or are one of the Free Folk.

3) Agree to be part of special "Spearwife Battalions".

Section 2: If a female member of the Night's Watch marries a member of the Night's Watch the two are allowed to share quarters and will receive one plot of land after their service is completed.

Section 3: If two members of the Night's Watch who already own land are married one of the two must forfeit their land.

Article 9: Only the King of Westeros and the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch may pass further reforms, which may only be enacted provided they are approved by the general body of the Night's Watch.

Article 10: Retired members of the Night's Watch are allowed to vote for the next Lord Commander.

These reforms are to be submitted to the members of the Night's Watch for public voting and will only be passed provided a 2/3 majority approves them.


	37. Castles of the Night's Watch

**Castles of the Night's Watch**

**Westwatch-by-the-Bridge**: the Weeper (1,000)

**Shadow Tower**: the Glovers (2,000), Brandon Norrey (1,000), 200 men of the Night's Watch

**Sentinel Stand**: Guncer Sunglass, Hugo Wull (1,000), Mother Mole

**Greyguard**: Ardrian Celtigar

**Stonedoor**: Duram Bar Emmon, Harma Dogshead (1,000)

**Hoarforst Hill**: Morna White Mask

**Icemark**: Monford Velaryon

**Nightfort**: Stannis Baratheon, Helman Tallhart

**Deep Lake**: Medger Cerwyn

**Queensgate**: Greatjon Umber, Tormund Giantsbane (1,000)

**Castle Black**: Ned Stark (3,000), Mance Rayder (1,000), 200 men of the Night's Watch

**Oakenshield**: Rickard Karstark (2,000), Devyn Sealskinner

**Woodswatch-by-the-Pool**: Varamyr Sixskins

**Sable Hall**: Roose Bolton (2,000)

**Rimegate**: Rattleshirt (1,000)

**Long Barrow**: Maege Mormont, 1,000 northern knights

**the Torches**: the Great Walrus

**Greenguard**: 1,000 northern knights, Torghen Flint (1,000), Styr, Magnar of Thenn

**Eastwatch-by-the-Sea**: Wylis Manderly (2,000) Halys Hornwood (1,000), 200 men of the Night's Watch


	38. Davos IV

**Davos**

On a little rocky shoreline on Claw Isle, Davos waited. He had pulled up in a little rowboat alone and waited, as per the agreement.

Out on the ocean was a large galley flying the banners of House Redwyne. Paxter Redwyne had answered his call for parley.

Lord Redwyne's rowboat pulled up on the shore and he stepped out. He approached Davos, accompanied only by his banner carrier. Davos was likewise joined by one of his crew, carrying Stannis' banner, a stag's head in a flaming heart.

Lord Redwyne bowed.

"My Lord Seaworth, I am glad you have come. Let us discuss terms peacefully,"

Davos noted that Paxter Redwyne was particularly courteous. Most lords treated him like merely an upjumped smuggler, when they spoke to him at all.

"Indeed. How goes the war on your end?"

"The Ironborn have been eating away at the ships under Hobber's command. From his last letter they had fallen back to the Shield Islands, but nothing since then. My last letter from my other son puts him somewhere off of the Stormlands."

"And you are here with the Royal Fleet and some ships of your own."

"Precisely. I wished to abandon this siege long ago, but could not...ah, lose face, you understand."

"I assure you, Lord Stannis will be lenient if you bow to him."

The Tyrells had gone from holding King's Landing to ruin in such a short time. The death of Renly they could have recovered from, but after King's Landing was sacked - Davos was as shocked as any other when he heard of the atrocities Cersei had committed - the Stormlords had all declared for Stannis. Garlan had taken his own troops and left them after Renly's death, and though the Stormlords were bitter over fighting one another they had come together to threaten the Tyrell's eastern flank. Meanwhile, the lords of the Reach were dispersing to guard their own keeps after news of the Sack of the Northern Marches reached them.

Stannis was now sailing south with 2,000 troops, and it was hoped once the Florents declared for him, being his in-laws, he would have enough men to bring Highgarden to the negotiating table.

If the Redwynes bowed to Stannis as well he would have control of the seas, and could threaten Lannisport and the accursed queen who sat in King's Landing.

"Very well," said Lord Redwyne, "I will acknowledge Stannis as king, and meet his demands."

"Good. He will, of course, require your sons as hostages, your daughter Desmera shall be married to one of my sons, and your fleet shall be put under command of Stannis' master of ships - that is, myself - until Stannis' reign is secure."

Paxter Redwyne's face dropped at the demands, but he pressed on.

"If that is all, I count myself a lucky man. I will bow to King Stannis."

Davos restrained a smile. Stannis had no love for the Redwynes, considering theirs was the fleet that had blockaded Storm's End, but he required their ships to defeat the Lannisters.

"Thank you, Lord Redwyne. If you'll be so kind, perhaps we could seal this over a bottle of Arbor gold?"


	39. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Chiswyck reigned in his horse and scowled as he looked over the ruined village.

"Damn and seven hells to this!" one of his men yelled.

This was the third town in a row where they'd been late to the party. Untouched villages were few and far between, and his men had gone several days without seeing a single villager.

After Gregor's death, things had been tough, but when Tywin unleashed his armies upon the Reach there had been plunder and a different woman every day for each of Gregor's former men. When Tywin pulled back after about a month of raiding he left one or two thousand men left to keep raiding and pillaging - which was how Chiswyck found himself turning over burnt cottages looking for gold.

"All the smallfolk went south long ago! We should be following!" yelled Dunsen.

"Aye, the smallfolk went south, to where there's soldiers! Use your brain you ass!" snapped Polliver.

Chiswyck spat on the ground.

"And the soldiers are coming back here. Remember Raff's lot? Wiped out just last week, by some loony in blue armor and his boys."

"Those bandits?" asked one of the men.

"Nah, these were proper soldiers, not a bunch of broken men and deserters."

The gang of bandits had been plaguing Lannister supply lines since the start, and the raiders often found their match.

The Sarsfield squire began to dismount. Chiswyck rode over and cuffed him over the head.

"Don't rest, you idiot! There's nothing here!"

He turned to the men.

"We'll ride south a but! See if that holdfast's been reoccupied. If it is, we'll circle back to camp!"

The men turned their horses and rode down the path. The "camp" was one of the dozens of abandoned holdfasts in the area, but the raiders had taken to using a different one every couple nights since the Tickler and his boys had been killed in one. The bodies were barely recognizable, in a way that even the men were nervous about. They didn't look like they'd died quickly, either.

The men rode through a little wood. There was no underbrush, just a wide open area between the trees, and up ahead was a little rise, with the road leading up it.

Chiswyck pulled up quickly. Something wasn't right.

"Hold, boys!"

Immediately, men on horses appeared on the rise, then charged down the slope at the men. There were thirty of them, almost twice Chiswyck's number.

"Ambush!" yelled one of the men.

"The bandits!" screamed another.

He was right. Some of these men had shields bearing the sigil of the Reachlords, but others had no sigil or even a shield. One of them had the brindled boar of Crakehall!

A few of them men shot arrows from horseback, while others lowered lances or drew swords. Chiswyck's men rode to meet them.

It was chaos. Lances snapped loudly and the screams of dying men were louder. Eggon took a lance right through the throat and the Sarsfield squire lost the top half of his head to a man with a giant sword.

Chiswyck slew a man with the lion of House Osgrey and snarled. These damn bandits had been a pain in the ass for weeks, and there were only thirty of them?

No. Not thirty. More were swinging around behind the men, cutting them off.

Chiswyck slew another man, but he saw Dunsen hit the ground out of the corner of his eye. If he was still alive, it was only for a moment, as a horse rode straight over him. Chiswyck turned to meet the man who had just run over Dunsen.

"You-" he choked on the words.

The man pulled up short, and the battle died to a lull as the last men were slain. He lifted the visor on the dog-shaped helmet. There was no mistaking that scarred face.

"Me," growled the Hound.

"Gregor's own brother and killer," Chiswyck spat. He was alone now.

"Gregor needed killing. He was no true knight."

The Hound had a look in his eyes Chiswyck had never seen in a man. Chiswyck spat again.

"Buncha horse shit, that. You was a killer, just like him, all along."

"Yes. But I only kill those who need killing now."

Chiswyck had had enough of this. He rode straight at the Hound.

Just as he was raising this sword, the Hound moved. Far too quickly, he dodged, speeding past Chiswyck.

Chiswyck had ridden about six feet before he realized he had lost his arm.

Screaming, he fell from the horse to the ground. Moaning in pain, he rolled onto his back and found himself looking into the Hound's scarred face.

"Burn in all the seven hells, Hound..." he gasped, his strength failing.

"I already did."

The swordstroke was quick.


End file.
